Future Opportunity: Service Designer - Consultant

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer - Consultant (Future Opportunity)

Company: Opencast

Location: Hybrid - Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London

Job Type: Permanent

Category: Service Design / Consulting (GTM Operations & Strategy)

Date Posted: 2026-09-16

Experience Level: Mid-Level to Senior (5-10 years inferred)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This is a future opportunity for a skilled Service Designer to join a purpose-driven business focused on improving service delivery through user-centered design and technology integration.

• The role involves identifying and solving client service problems by designing end-to-end service journeys, balancing user, business, and technical needs within agile delivery teams.

• Successful candidates will leverage experience with GDS/Gov Design Systems and possess strong stakeholder management and communication skills, essential for effective consulting.

• Candidates must hold or be eligible for UK Security Check (SC) clearance and be willing to travel regularly to client sites across the UK, emphasizing in-person collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Future Opportunity" designation suggests Opencast is proactively building a talent pipeline for upcoming roles. The emphasis on hybrid work, UK-wide client travel, and SC clearance indicates a focus on public sector or government-adjacent projects requiring high levels of trust and security. The role sits at the intersection of GTM strategy and operational improvement, focusing on how services are delivered to end-users and internal stakeholders.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Investigate, define, and design end-to-end service journeys, encompassing both front-stage (customer-facing) and back-stage (internal operations) components.

• Analyze and synthesize complex information from various sources to derive actionable insights, identify user needs, and formulate clear recommendations.

• Develop and utilize design artifacts, including service maps and system diagrams, to visualize existing and proposed service experiences and processes.

• Design and facilitate engaging workshops and co-design sessions to foster collaboration, gather requirements, and co-create solutions with clients and stakeholders.

• Prototype new service concepts and user flows to test hypotheses, gather feedback, and iterate on designs before full-scale implementation.

• Clearly and diplomatically articulate and manage tensions between user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints to ensure balanced and viable solutions.

• Ensure all work adheres to Opencast's quality, environmental, and information security policies, as well as applicable client-specific standards and procedures.

• Collaborate effectively within agile delivery teams, contributing to sprint planning, execution, and retrospectives to ensure timely and high-quality service design outcomes.

• Build trust and develop strong working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, acting as a key point of contact for service design expertise.

• Respectfully and effectively challenge decisions or proposed solutions that may not align with user needs, design principles, or project objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking, hands-on design execution, and strong interpersonal consulting skills. The emphasis on "front stage" and "back stage" design is crucial for understanding the full service ecosystem and its operational dependencies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Information Architecture, Psychology, or a related field would be advantageous. Relevant professional certifications in service design or agile methodologies are also beneficial.

Experience: Minimum of 5-10 years of experience working as a Service Designer across a range of complex projects, with a proven track record of delivering impactful service improvements. Experience in a consulting capacity is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience with the GDS (Government Digital Service) / Gov Design Systems and their principles.

• Proven ability to analyze and synthesize complex information into actionable insights, needs, and recommendations.

• Strong storytelling techniques to convey complex information and design concepts effectively.

• Proficiency in designing artifacts to evidence existing and new service systems and experiences (e.g., service maps, user journey maps, process flows).

• Experience designing and testing prototypes for new service concepts.

• Expertise in designing and facilitating workshops and co-design sessions with diverse groups of stakeholders.

• Ability to clearly and diplomatically articulate tensions between technical, business, and user needs.

• Experience designing services in accordance with government service standards.

• Proven experience working within agile delivery teams.

• Demonstrated ability to build trust and develop strong working relationships with stakeholders.

• Skill in respectfully and effectively challenging decisions or solutions when necessary.

• Ability to plan and manage own tasks to achieve project objectives. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with user research methodologies and translating findings into design decisions.

• Familiarity with various design and collaboration tools (e.g., Figma, Miro, Mural, Sketch).

• Understanding of business analysis principles and how they integrate with service design.

• Experience in public sector or government projects beyond general GDS adherence.

• Ability to contribute to business development activities, such as proposal writing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are heavily focused on practical application and demonstrable experience, particularly within the UK government context. The emphasis on consulting skills like stakeholder management and challenging decisions is critical for this role's outward-facing nature.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing end-to-end service design projects, highlighting problem definition, research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation phases.

• Case studies that clearly demonstrate the application of GDS/Gov Design Systems principles and adherence to government service standards.

• Evidence of analyzing complex information and synthesizing it into clear, actionable insights and design recommendations.

• Examples of service artifacts created, such as user journey maps, service blueprints, wireframes, and prototypes, showcasing innovation and user-centricity.

• Documentation of workshop facilitation and co-design session outcomes, demonstrating collaborative problem-solving.

• Examples that illustrate how you have balanced user needs, business objectives, and technical considerations in your designs. Process Documentation:

• Showcase how you have documented existing and new service systems and experiences through clear visual artifacts.

• Provide examples of how you have used prototypes to test new service concepts and iterate on designs based on feedback.

• Illustrate your approach to facilitating workshops and co-design sessions, including agenda setting, activity design, and outcome synthesis.

• Demonstrate your ability to articulate the value of the design process to clients and stakeholders who may be unfamiliar with its benefits.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a consulting role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond visual design and demonstrate a robust process, analytical thinking, and the ability to drive tangible improvements in service delivery, especially within a regulated environment like government.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £43,000 - £64,000 per annum.

Benefits:

• Competitive package including a 7% employer pension contribution.

• Share options, providing potential for long-term financial growth.

• Discretionary bonus, recognizing individual and company performance.

• Generous 25 days of holiday per year, plus 3 annual “life happens” days for unexpected situations.

• Comprehensive wellbeing support programs.

• Ongoing professional development opportunities, including training and certifications.

• Paid volunteering opportunities, supporting community engagement.

• Access to a genuinely supportive team environment with opportunities for learning and growth.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (inferred 40 hours per week), with a hybrid arrangement requiring regular on-site attendance at client sites and Opencast hubs, alongside the ability to work from home. Travel across the UK is essential.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a mid-level to senior Service Designer role in the UK, particularly considering the requirement for SC clearance and the consulting aspect. The benefits package is comprehensive, emphasizing employee well-being, professional growth, and work-life balance within a hybrid model.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting, Digital Transformation, Software Services. Opencast specializes in delivering high-impact digital services, often for the public sector, focusing on making systems simpler, fairer, and more effective.

Company Size: Opencast is a growing company, likely in the medium to large enterprise bracket based on the range of office locations and the nature of their projects. This size offers a balance between structured processes and agile decision-making.

Founded: Opencast was founded in 2017. This relatively recent founding suggests a modern, agile, and forward-thinking company culture, likely embracing innovation and continuous improvement.

Team Structure:

• The Service Design practice is described as a "diverse practice of talented service designers who grow and learn from one another," implying a collaborative and supportive team structure.

• Roles are defined with clear distinctions (e.g., Consultant vs. Senior Consultant), suggesting a structured career path and defined responsibilities.

• Collaboration is expected to be cross-functional, working with developers, product managers, analysts, and client stakeholders to deliver integrated solutions. Methodology:

• Emphasis on user-centered design principles, GDS standards, and agile delivery methodologies.

• A strong focus on problem-solving and connecting people, processes, and technology to improve service delivery.

• Commitment to quality, environmental responsibility, and information security policies is integral to client work.

• Encourages learning and growth, fostering an environment where designers can develop their skills and share knowledge.

Company Website: https://www.opencastsoftware.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Opencast positions itself as a modern, purpose-driven consultancy. The emphasis on "learning and growing together" and a "diverse practice" suggests a culture that values collaboration, professional development, and inclusivity. Their focus on public sector clients means a strong alignment with government service standards and a need for high ethical and security standards.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Consultant" Service Designer, typically indicating a mid-level to senior professional who can independently manage projects, guide clients, and contribute significantly to service design strategy. It sits below a Senior Consultant, suggesting a focus on execution and collaboration within defined project frameworks, while still requiring strategic input.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, Service Designers often report into a Head of Design, a Practice Lead, or a Project Manager, depending on the project and organizational structure. In a consulting firm, they would likely report to a Senior Consultant or Engagement Manager on client projects, and to a Practice Lead for career development and community within Opencast.

Operations Impact: Service Designers at Opencast have a direct impact on how services are perceived and utilized by end-users (citizens, employees) and how efficiently they are delivered internally. By simplifying processes, improving user interfaces, and optimizing back-end systems, they contribute to client satisfaction, operational efficiency, cost reduction, and the overall effectiveness of public services. This role directly influences the "Go-To-Market" strategy for services by ensuring they are user-friendly and accessible.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in specific service design methodologies, user research techniques, and advanced prototyping tools. Develop specialized knowledge in areas like accessibility, ethical design, or specific industry domains (e.g., healthcare, justice).

• Leadership Development: Progress to a Senior Consultant role, taking on more complex projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to practice development. Opportunity to lead client engagements and manage project teams.

• Specialization: Focus on particular aspects of service design or transition into related roles such as UX Lead, Design Strategist, or even Product Management, leveraging transferable skills.

• Community Contribution: Contribute to Opencast's internal knowledge base, lead training sessions, and represent the company at industry events, building a professional reputation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Future Opportunity" aspect means potential candidates are being scouted for roles that will become available. This implies growth within the company is a key aspect, with clear pathways for advancement from Consultant to Senior Consultant and beyond, supported by professional development initiatives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. Opencast operates hub offices in key cities (Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London) and maintains client sites across the UK. This model emphasizes the importance of in-person collaboration and client engagement.

Office Location(s): Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London. Applicants must be willing to travel regularly to these hub offices and various client locations throughout the UK.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Hub offices are designed to facilitate collaboration, co-design sessions, and team building, essential for a consulting firm.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, meeting rooms, and likely specialized design software and collaboration platforms (e.g., Miro, Figma) to support project work.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for interaction with fellow service designers, consultants, project managers, and client teams, fostering a dynamic and interactive work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time with a hybrid arrangement. While flexibility exists for remote work, regular travel to client sites and hub offices is a core requirement, necessitating structured planning and time management to balance project needs with personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with mandatory travel underscores Opencast's commitment to client-facing work and the value placed on face-to-face interaction for effective consulting and relationship building. This is a key consideration for candidates who prefer fully remote work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: CV and portfolio submission for initial screening against essential requirements, including service design experience and GDS knowledge.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will be asked to present a piece of work demonstrating their experience. This is a critical stage to assess practical skills, process understanding, and communication ability. Focus on showcasing how you've applied the essential skills mentioned in the job description.

• Behavioral & Situational Interviews: Questions will focus on core consulting skills (stakeholder management, challenging decisions, planning) and service design competencies. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Team/Culture Fit: Interviews may involve discussions with members of the service design team or other consultants to assess cultural alignment and collaborative potential.

• Security Clearance Discussion: A clear understanding of the SC clearance requirements and the candidate's eligibility and willingness to undergo the process will be confirmed.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 strong projects that best showcase the required skills, particularly GDS experience, complex problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement.

• Tell a Story: Structure your presentation around the problem, your process, the challenges faced, your solutions, and the impact/outcomes. Emphasize your role and contributions.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (diagrams, prototypes, maps) to illustrate your process and deliverables. Explain why you made certain design decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the success and value of your work (e.g., improved user satisfaction, reduced task completion time, efficiency gains).

• Address Tensions: Be prepared to discuss how you navigated conflicts between user, business, and technical needs.

Challenge Preparation:

• GDS Standards: Familiarize yourself with the latest GDS Service Manual and assess its applicability to various service design scenarios.

• Consulting Scenarios: Practice responding to hypothetical client challenges related to service improvement, stakeholder resistance, or scope creep.

• Agile Context: Be ready to discuss how service design integrates within agile workflows and how you adapt your approach in such environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio presentation and specific behavioral questions indicates a rigorous assessment process designed to evaluate not just technical skills but also consulting acumen and suitability for client-facing work. The SC clearance requirement adds a significant layer to the eligibility and application process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Axure RP (for interactive prototypes).

• Collaboration & Workshop Facilitation: Miro, Mural, Google Workspace (Docs, Slides, Jamboard), Microsoft Teams (for online meetings and collaboration).

• Mapping & Diagramming: Lucidchart, Draw.io, Visio (for service maps, journey maps, process flows, system diagrams).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly a data analyst role, understanding how to interpret and utilize analytics from tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, or specific government service dashboards will be beneficial for informing design decisions. CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) or workflow automation tools is less critical for this role but demonstrates an understanding of how services integrate with broader business processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools listed are standard for service designers and consultants. Proficiency in collaborative platforms like Miro/Mural and prototyping tools like Figma is crucial for demonstrating practical design and facilitation skills.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purpose-Driven: A strong desire to make systems simpler, fairer, and more effective, particularly for citizens and public services.

• Collaboration: Valuing teamwork, knowledge sharing, and collective growth within the service design practice and across client projects.

• Excellence: Commitment to high-quality design, adherence to standards (GDS, government service standards), and continuous improvement.

• Integrity: Upholding ethical standards, information security, and client trust, especially crucial given the SC clearance requirement.

• Inclusivity: Welcoming diverse backgrounds, identities, and ways of thinking to enrich solutions and create a fairer society.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working seamlessly with developers, product owners, analysts, researchers, and client stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

• Open Communication: Fostering an environment where ideas can be shared freely, feedback is constructive, and challenges are addressed diplomatically.

• Co-creation: Embracing a collaborative approach where clients and team members are active participants in the design process.

• Mentorship and Learning: Encouraging peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing sessions, and supporting individual professional development.

📝 Enhancement Note: Opencast's values align with a modern, ethical consulting firm focused on social impact. The emphasis on "fairer society" and inclusivity is a significant cultural differentiator, particularly appealing to candidates who want their work to have a positive societal impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Stakeholder Landscapes: Managing diverse needs, priorities, and expectations from multiple client stakeholders, often with competing interests.

• Balancing Constraints: Successfully designing services that meet user needs while adhering to strict technical limitations, budget constraints, and regulatory requirements common in government projects.

• Driving Adoption of Design Thinking: Educating and persuading clients and internal teams about the value of service design and user-centered approaches, especially if they are accustomed to traditional methods.

• Maintaining Security & Compliance: Ensuring all design work and documentation adheres to stringent security protocols and government vetting requirements (SC clearance).

• Adapting to Evolving Technologies & Standards: Staying current with advancements in design tools, methodologies, and government digital standards.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Formal Training: Access to internal and external training programs focused on advanced service design, UX research, agile methodologies, and specific industry domains.

• Mentorship Programs: Opportunities to be mentored by senior designers and consultants, and to mentor junior team members, fostering leadership skills.

• Community of Practice: Active participation in Opencast's service design community, sharing insights, best practices, and learning from peers.

• Industry Events: Potential to attend conferences, workshops, and webinars to stay abreast of the latest trends and network within the design and digital transformation fields.

• Project Diversity: Exposure to a wide array of projects across different public sector domains, providing varied challenges and learning experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a consultant in the public sector, requiring resilience, strong communication, and a deep understanding of both design principles and the operational context. The growth opportunities are robust, emphasizing continuous learning and career progression.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs, business requirements, and technical constraints. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, negotiation skills, and ability to find a balanced solution.)

• "How do you ensure your service designs align with government service standards and GDS principles? Can you provide an example of a design decision you made based on these standards?" (Demonstrate your understanding and practical application of these frameworks.)

• "Imagine a client is resistant to user research or co-design. How would you build trust and demonstrate the value of these approaches to them?" (Prepare specific strategies for stakeholder engagement and advocacy.)

• "Walk us through a complex service you designed. What was the problem, your approach, the key deliverables, and the impact? What would you do differently next time?" (Structure this as a compelling case study, highlighting your role and lessons learned.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why Opencast? What attracts you to our company and our mission?" (Research Opencast's values, recent projects, and tailor your response.)

• "How do you approach collaboration within an agile team and with diverse stakeholders?" (Provide examples of successful cross-functional collaboration and conflict resolution.)

• "Given the requirement for SC clearance and regular client travel, how do you see yourself fitting into our hybrid working model and client engagement approach?" (Show enthusiasm for in-person collaboration and understanding of the security requirements.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Wisely: Choose a project that best showcases your ability to solve a complex problem using service design, demonstrating your process from discovery to delivery.

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the steps you took, the tools/methods used, and the tangible results or learnings. Quantify impact where possible.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, your rationale, how you handled challenges, and what you would iterate on.

• Showcase GDS/Gov Standards: Explicitly point out where and how you applied these principles in your chosen project.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it flows logically, is engaging, and fits within the allotted time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess practical skills, consulting aptitude, and cultural fit. Candidates should prepare specific examples that directly address the requirements of the job description, particularly concerning GDS, stakeholder management, and security clearance.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on lever.co.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful service design projects that demonstrate experience with GDS/Gov Design Systems, stakeholder management, and complex problem-solving. Ensure your portfolio clearly outlines your process, deliverables, and outcomes.

• Optimize Your CV: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, such as "Service Design," "Consultant," "GDS," "Agile," "SC Clearance," and "stakeholder management." Use action verbs and quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Rehearse a concise and compelling presentation of one of your portfolio projects, focusing on your role, methodology, challenges, and impact. Be ready to discuss how you navigated tensions between user, business, and technical needs.

• Research Opencast: Understand Opencast's mission, values, and the types of clients they serve. Consider how your skills and experience align with their purpose-driven approach and commitment to making systems fairer and more effective.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.