Service Designer - DBT - SEO

Manchester Digital; Remote; GBP 44,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK government department is seeking a Senior Service Designer to influence service strategies and create user-centred services. You will collaborate within a multidisciplinary team to design inclusive experiences that meet user needs. Essential skills include proven service design experience, user journey mapping, and ability to communicate design rationale. This opportunity promotes growth with access to training and a supportive design community, making a real impact on businesses and citizens across the country.

Benefits

Access to DDaT Capability Framework

Mentoring opportunities

Training in advanced service design techniques

Qualifications

• Proven experience in service design within complex environments.
• Ability to create and communicate service blueprints and user journeys.
• Strong understanding of user-centred design principles and accessibility standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop user-centred experiences that meet user needs.
• Shape the Service Design function based on best practices.
• Map current user journeys and design blueprints.

Skills

Proven experience in service design within complex environments

Ability to create and communicate service blueprints

Strong understanding of user-centred design principles

Skilled in using qualitative and quantitative research

Experience working in agile, multidisciplinary teams

Excellent communication skills

Job description

£44,586 - £59,466 location dependant and additional allowances. Full-time (Permanent). Published on 16 December 2025. Deadline 12 January 2026.

Location

Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford

Job summary

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 has 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

• 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. Within Department of Business and Trade this role is known as Senior Service Designer

Person specification

Skills and experience

It is essential that you have:

• Proven experience in service design within complex environments (LEAD CRITERIA)
• Ability to create and communicate service blueprints, user journeys, and design artefacts
• Strong understanding of user‑centred design principles and accessibility standards
• Skilled in using qualitative and quantitative research to inform design decisions
• Experience working in agile, multidisciplinary teams and influencing stakeholders at all levels
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale to technical and non‑technical audiences

It is desirable that you have:

• Experience of agile tools, how to use them and can adapt and reflect to see outside of the process