Senior Service Designer

Government Recruitment Service; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in Edinburgh is seeking a Senior Service Designer to shape user-centred services that impact businesses and citizens. You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to design inclusive experiences and influence service strategies. This role provides opportunities for professional growth and involvement in innovative projects while championing best practices in service design. The ideal candidate should have strong expertise in service design and excellent communication skills.

Benefits

Access to DDaT Capability Framework

Mentoring opportunities

Participation in cross-government design networks

Qualifications

• Expertise in user-centred design methods and service design principles.
• Experience working collaboratively in diverse teams.
• Ability to effectively communicate complex information.

Responsibilities

• Provide service design expertise across complex user journeys.
• Develop user-centred experiences that meet user needs.
• Shape the Service Design function based on best practices.
• Analyze pain points in user experiences and recommend improvements.
• Map current user journeys and design service blueprints.
• Build collaborative relationships across teams and with stakeholders.

Skills

Service design expertise

User journey analysis

Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams

Communication skills

Facilitation skills

Job description

About us

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has a clear mission - to grow the economy. Our role is to help businesses invest, grow and export to create jobs and opportunities right across the country. We do this in three ways.

Firstly, we help to build a strong, competitive business environment, where consumers are protected and companies rewarded for treating their employees properly.

Secondly, we open international markets and ensure resilient supply chains. This can be through Free Trade Agreements, trade facilitation and multilateral agreements.

Finally, we work in partnership with businesses every day, providing advance, finance and deal‑making support to those looking to start up, invest, export and grow.

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate develops and operates tools and services to support us in this mission. The team have been nominated four times in a row for ‘Best Public Sector Employer’ at the Women in Tech awards!

About the role

As a Senior Service Designer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping user‑centred services that deliver real impact for businesses and citizens. Working within a multidisciplinary team, you’ll collaborate with researchers, developers, and product managers to design holistic, inclusive experiences across complex journeys. You’ll be the voice of both the user and the organisation, ensuring that services meet user needs while aligning with strategic objectives. This role offers the chance to influence service strategies, create design roadmaps, and champion best practice across the department.

We are committed to your growth and development. You’ll have access to the DDaT Capability Framework, mentoring opportunities, and a vibrant design community. From formal training in advanced service design techniques to participation in cross‑government design networks, you’ll be supported to deepen your expertise and progress your career. You’ll also have opportunities to lead on innovative projects, share knowledge, and contribute to shaping the future of service design within DBT.

Main responsibilities

You will be:

• Providing service design expertise across complex user journeys
• Developing user‑centred experiences that meet user needs and fulfil business outcomes
• Helping to shape the Service Design function in the team based on best practice from the wider profession
• Using and promoting best practice and standards to design usable and inclusive experiences
• Analysing pain points and failure points within the user experience and create recommendations to address any issues identified
• Mapping of current user journeys and design service blueprints for new or improved experiences or processes across multiple channels
• Effectively communicating complex information and ideas using sketches, scenarios, diagrams, maps, prototypes, and written narratives for multiple audiences
• Building collaborative relationships within multidisciplinary teams and with senior stakeholders across the organisation and wider DDaT Profession
• Effectively using facilitation skills with teams and stakeholders to build a shared understanding of problems to be solved, work through challenges and enable design‑led decision making