Senior Service Designer

Methods; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Working

Wellness programme

Pension - salary exchange

Private Medical Insurance

Travel Insurance

Annual leave 25 days + holidays

Discretionary company bonus

Life assurance

Job summary

Methods is a UK-based IT services consultancy focused on public sector transformation, delivering people-centred, safe, and future-ready services. We seek a service designer to shape citizen-focused experiences across government programmes, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and sharing design work to drive impact.

You will advocate for user needs, design end-to-end service maps and blueprints, and mentor junior colleagues within Methods’ Design community of practice, while enjoying

Qualifications

• Proven ability to translate user needs into service design concepts.
• Experience communicating abstract concepts to diverse stakeholders.
• Understanding how technology constraints influence design decisions.
• Experience running collaborative workshops and workshops facilitation.
• Experience in user research informing service design decisions.

Responsibilities

• Design services using government-style standards and best practices.
• Map user journeys and service blueprints, identify design problems.
• Collaborate within multidisciplinary teams and share design work.
• Explain concepts to users and stakeholders through persuasive storytelling.
• Coach junior team members and contribute to SD community practice.

Skills

Design facilitation

Communicating complex ideas

User research

Running workshops

Agile environment

Education

Relevant industry experience

Job description

Methods Business and Digital Technology Limited Methods is a £100M+ IT Services Consultancy who has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK. Established over 30 years ago and UK-based, we apply our skills in transformation, delivery, and collaboration from across the Methods Group, to create end-to-end business and technical solutions that are people-centred, safe, and designed for the future. Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses - with people, technology, and data at the heart of who we are, we believe in creating value and sustainability through everything we do for our clients, staff, communities, and the planet. We support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems. At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them. Predominantly focused on the public-sector, Methods is now building a significant private sector client portfolio. Methods was acquired by the Alten Group in early 2022.

Your main day to day responsibilities will be:

• Identifying, developing, and using best practice and standards to design services consistent with the rest of government
• Advocating for users and understanding user needs to design simple, effective, and accessible services
• Creating service maps, blueprints, and other concepts
• Mapping user journeys, processes, and visualising design problems
• Articulating and solving complex problems, from end to end and surface to core
• Communicating concepts to users and stakeholders
• Selling your ideas with persuasive storytelling
• Experience with the GDS/GOV.UK style guide and service design standard
• Collaborating within a multidisciplinary team by sharing design work, and participating in research

You will also be expected to carry out the following day to day activities:

• Advocating for user-centred design and being an active part of the Design community within Methods and across government to share ideas and best practice, and proactively help and support each other
• Taking responsibility for your own learning and development and seek opportunities to improve your knowledge and experience
• Project support and guidance to other team members in the SD community of practice
• Coach and mentor more junior team members in the SD community of practice
• Support probation and annual reviews for more junior team members in the SD community of practice
• Support training and development plans alongside the Head of SD, and Deputy Director of UCD
• Bid support to Head of SD and Deputy Director of UCD
• Support permanent staff hiring when required

Essential Skills

You’ll have a demonstrable passion for service design, with the following skills or proven experience in:

• Talking about design and ideas in a way that other people understand
• Communicating often abstract concepts to people with a range of opinions and understanding
• Understanding how technology constraints may need to be considered in design
• Running workshops, participating in discussions and assisting in the facilitation of the design of the service through collaboration with other professions
• Understanding user needs, participating in research activities, and interpreting user research to inform design
• Contributing to the design of prototypes at different levels of fidelity
• Working in an agile environment

Qualifications

• Relevant industry experience

Benefits

Methods is passionate about its people; we want our colleagues to develop the things they are good at and enjoy.

By joining us you can expect

• Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience
• Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society
• Strong, inspiring and thought-provoking leadership
• A supportive and collaborative environment

• Development - a management development programme, and training
• Wellness - 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme
• Flexible Working - including home working and part time
• Social - office parties, breakfast Tuesdays, monthly pizza Thursdays, Thirsty Thursdays, and commitment to charitable causes
• Time Off - 25 days of annual leave a year, plus bank holidays, with the option to buy 5 extra days each year
• Volunteering - 2 paid days per year to volunteer in our local communities or within a charity organisation
• Pension - Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution
• Discretionary Company Bonus - based on company and individual performance
• Life Assurance - of 4 times base salary
• Private Medical Insurance - which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
• Worldwide Travel Insurance - which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
• Travel - season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme

For a full list of benefits please visit our website (www.methods.co.uk/careers/benefits)