Service Designer Senior

Gold Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Gold Group is recruiting a Lead Service Designer to drive end-to-end service design for complex digital services across Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and Birmingham. You will lead service design activities, collaborate with cross-functional teams, translate policy and user needs into practical solutions, and guide governance aligned with the Government Service Standard.

The role involves shaping service outcomes, delivering artefacts and recommendations, and coaching teams in user-centred design

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of the Government Service Standard and Service Manual.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and improvement of end-to-end services across multiple channels and touchpoints.
• Plan and conduct service design activities including service mapping, journey mapping, blueprinting and workshop facilitation.
• Work closely with product managers, user researchers, business analysts, interaction designers and technical teams to shape service outcomes.
• Translate user needs, policy requirements and operational constraints into practical service solutions.
• Identify pain points, risks, dependencies and opportunities across complex service ecosystems.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement and alignment across programme, policy, operational and digital teams.
• Use research insights, data and evidence to inform service design decisions.
• Support service assessments and ensure alignment with the Government Service Standard.
• Produce clear design artefacts and recommendations to support delivery and decision making.
• Coach and influence teams in adopting user-centred design practices.

Skills

Service design leadership

User-centred design

Facilitation

Agile delivery

Stakeholder management

Job description

Please note this role is 3 days on site per week at any of these locations Manchester / Leeds / Sheffield / Birmingham

Lead service design activity for complex, user-centred digital services, ensuring that services meet user needs, business objectives and government service standards. The role will drive end-to-end service design across multidisciplinary teams, helping to identify opportunities for service improvement, reduce complexity and deliver measurable outcomes for citizens and colleagues.
The post holder will provide service design expertise, facilitate collaborative design activities and support strategic decision-making through evidence-based design approaches.

• Lead the design and improvement of end-to-end services across multiple channels and touchpoints.


• Plan and conduct service design activities including service mapping, journey mapping, blueprinting and workshop facilitation.


• Work closely with product managers, user researchers, business analysts, interaction designers, content designers and technical teams to shape service outcomes.


• Translate user needs, policy requirements and operational constraints into practical service solutions.


• Identify pain points, risks, dependencies and opportunities across complex service ecosystems.


• Facilitate stakeholder engagement and alignment across programme, policy, operational and digital teams.


• Use research insights, data and evidence to inform service design decisions.


• Support service assessments and ensure alignment with the Government Service Standard.


• Produce clear design artefacts and recommendations to support delivery and decision making.


• Coach and influence teams in adopting user-centred design practices.

Experience working within UK Government, public sector or highly regulated environments.

• Strong understanding of the Government Service Standard and Service Manual.


• Experience supporting services through discovery, alpha, beta and live phases.


• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams using agile delivery methodologies.


• Ability to analyse complex service landscapes and identify strategic improvement opportunities.


• Experience producing high-quality service design artefacts and recommendations for senior stakeholders.

1. Service Design Leadership (Essential)
   
   
   
   • Demonstrable experience leading service design on complex digital transformation programmes.
   
   
   • Ability to design and improve end-to-end services spanning multiple teams, systems and channels.
   
   
   • Advanced knowledge of service mapping, blueprinting and systems thinking.
   
   
   • 2. User-Centred Design (Essential)
   
   
   • Strong understanding of user-centred design principles and practices.
   
   
   • Ability to synthesise user research findings into actionable service improvements.
   
   
   • Experience balancing user, organisational and policy needs.
   
   
   • 3. Facilitation and Stakeholder Management (Essential)
   
   
   • Experience planning and facilitating workshops with senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams.
   
   
   • Ability to build consensus and influence decision-making in complex environments.
   
   
   • Strong communication and presentation
   
   
   
   


2. skills.
   
   
   
   • 4. Digital Delivery in Agile Environments (Essential)
   
   
   • Experience working within agile, multidisciplinary delivery teams.
   
   
   • Understanding of modern digital delivery methods and government service design practices.
   
   
   • Ability to prioritise work and adapt to changing requirements.
   
   
   
   

Services advertised by Gold Group are those of an Agency and/or an Employment Business.