Future Opportunity: Service Designer - Senior Consultant

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Consultant - Service Designer

Company: Opencast

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

Job Type: Permanent - Future Opportunity

Category: Consulting / Service Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-16

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Focus on leveraging service design principles to simplify, and improve the effectiveness of complex systems and services.

• Drive end-to-end service journey design, encompassing both front-stage user interactions and back-stage operational processes.

• Take on a leadership role in client projects, guiding strategic direction and fostering a collaborative design environment.

• Collaborate closely with product owners and senior stakeholders to develop comprehensive roadmaps and strategic plans.

• Ensure adherence to high standards of quality, environmental, and information security policies throughout project lifecycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a 'Future Opportunity' role, meaning applications are accepted for potential upcoming positions rather than an immediate opening. The role emphasizes leadership and complex problem-solving within service design, suggesting a need for significant experience in strategy, stakeholder management, and end-to-end service lifecycle design. The requirement for SC clearance and UK-wide travel indicates a focus on public sector or government-adjacent projects.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Identify, analyze, and resolve complex service delivery challenges for clients by designing and optimizing end-to-end service journeys.

• Define and design both front-stage user interactions and back-stage operational processes to create seamless and effective service experiences.

• Lead service design initiatives, providing strategic direction, mentoring junior team members, and ensuring project success.

• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, effectively communicating design decisions and strategic recommendations.

• Facilitate user research, workshops, and co-design sessions to gather insights, validate designs, and foster collaborative problem-solving.

• Ensure all service design activities align with client policies, standards, and Opencast's quality, environmental, and information security protocols.

• Analyze the impact and integration of all service components within the broader service ecosystem to ensure holistic and sustainable solutions.

• Work effectively within agile delivery teams, contributing to sprint planning, backlog refinement, and iterative design processes.

• Develop and present service design artifacts, including journey maps, user flows, wireframes, and prototypes, to communicate complex information and design rationale.

• Consider future business needs and overarching client strategies when designing solutions to ensure long-term value and adaptability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "complex service problems," "leadership role," and "senior stakeholders" indicates this role requires a seasoned service designer capable of strategic thinking and influencing at a high level. The responsibilities also highlight a strong need for experience in user research, co-design, and the practical application of government design standards (GDS).

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrable experience in service design, human-centered design, UX, or related fields are essential. Continuous learning and professional development are implied.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in service design, with a significant portion in senior or lead roles, is expected. Experience with government digital services and agile environments is crucial.

Required Skills:

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

• Demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize complex information into actionable insights, user needs, and strategic recommendations.

• Expertise in conveying complex information to diverse audiences using appropriate creative and visual techniques.

• Experience in designing artifacts that clearly evidence existing systems and user experiences.

• Proficiency in designing and facilitating user research, workshops, and co-design sessions.

• Ability to design accessible and inclusive end-to-end services that meet diverse user needs.

• Strong analytical skills to assess the impact and integration of service components within larger ecosystems.

• Experience working effectively across multiple work streams and managing concurrent projects.

• Proven ability to lead discussions with product owners to plan and produce effective roadmaps.

• Experience in planning and executing service design practices within varying project timescales.

• Capacity to consider future business needs and broader client strategies in design solutions.

• Experience designing services in accordance with government service standards.

• Familiarity and experience working in agile delivery teams.

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

• Skill in respectfully and effectively challenging proposed decisions or solutions to ensure optimal outcomes.

• Ability to create common ground and facilitate consensus among diverse groups.

• Experience in assigning tasks, setting project milestones, and managing personal and team deliverables.

• Proven ability to coach and mentor less experienced practitioners in service design. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific UX/UI design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Familiarity with data analysis tools and techniques for service performance measurement.

• Experience in public sector consulting or government-related digital transformation projects.

• Knowledge of information security best practices and environmental policy integration.

• Experience in developing business cases for service design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements list is extensive and highly specific, emphasizing practical application and demonstrable experience. Candidates must be prepared to showcase these skills through their CV and a portfolio presentation during the interview process. The mention of SC clearance is a critical filter for eligibility.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated collection of work demonstrating end-to-end service design projects, highlighting the problem, process, and impact.

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

• Evidence of user research methodologies, co-design facilitation, and workshop leadership.

• Examples of service artifacts, such as journey maps, user flows, system diagrams, and prototypes, that illustrate complex service ecosystems.

• Documentation of how user needs, business goals, and technical constraints were balanced in design solutions.

• Demonstrations of accessibility and inclusive design considerations within designed services.

• Examples of strategic thinking, including roadmap planning and consideration of future business needs. Process Documentation:

• Detailed descriptions of how service design processes were applied to solve client problems, including phases of discovery, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

• Documentation of collaborative processes, such as how workshops and co-design sessions were structured and facilitated to achieve desired outcomes.

• Evidence of iterative design and development, including how feedback was incorporated to refine service solutions.

• Examples of how service design work was integrated with agile development methodologies and cross-functional teams.

• Clear articulation of how the impact and integration of service components were analyzed within a larger service ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role. Candidates must be prepared to present a detailed case study that spans the entire service design lifecycle, demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and practical application of core service design skills, particularly within a government context. The ability to articulate processes and outcomes clearly is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £64,001 - £70,000 per annum.

Benefits:

• Competitive package including a 7% employer pension contribution.

• Share options.

• Discretionary bonus.

• 25 days of annual holiday.

• 3 annual "life happens" days to support unexpected situations.

• Comprehensive wellbeing support.

• Ongoing professional development opportunities.

• Volunteering opportunities.

• Access to a supportive team environment.

Working Hours: The exact weekly hours are not specified but are assumed to be standard for a full-time senior consultant role (likely around 37.5-40 hours per week). The role requires regular on-site attendance and travel, implying a need for flexibility to meet project demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range falls within the typical band for a Senior Consultant or Lead Service Designer in the UK, especially for roles requiring security clearance and extensive client-facing responsibilities. The benefits package is robust, reflecting a focus on employee wellbeing and long-term commitment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting, Digital Transformation, Public Sector Services. Opencast specializes in helping organizations, particularly in the public sector, navigate complex digital challenges and improve service delivery.

Company Size: Opencast is a growing company, likely falling into the medium-sized enterprise category (50-250 employees, based on typical tech consultancy structures, though specific numbers aren't provided). This size often allows for a balance of structured processes and agile, collaborative work environments.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated, Opencast is a relatively established player in the UK digital transformation space, known for its focus on public services and its commitment to ethical business practices.

Team Structure:

• The Service Design practice likely comprises experienced designers, researchers, and strategists who collaborate on client projects.

• Reporting structures are expected to be relatively flat within project teams, with clear project leads and senior consultants guiding work.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, involving close partnerships with project managers, delivery leads, developers, policy advisors, and client stakeholders. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, using research and analytics to inform design strategies.

• Human-centered design principles are central to all service design activities.

• Agile and iterative approaches are employed to ensure flexibility and continuous improvement.

• Emphasis on collaborative working, both internally and with clients, to build consensus and shared understanding.

• Strong commitment to quality, security, and environmental best practices in all project delivery.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Opencast positions itself as a purpose-driven organization focused on making a positive societal impact through technology and service design. The culture is likely to be collaborative, learning-oriented, and focused on delivering high-quality, ethical solutions, particularly for government and public sector clients.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Consultant / Lead Service Designer. This level signifies a move beyond individual contribution to include project leadership, strategic influence, and mentorship. It involves managing complex client engagements, shaping service design approaches, and contributing to the growth of the service design practice.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Head of Service Design, Practice Lead, or a Senior Director within Opencast's consulting services. Within client projects, they will report to Project Managers or Programme Leads, while also influencing senior client stakeholders.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the efficiency, fairness, and effectiveness of public services. By simplifying complex systems and improving user experiences, the Service Designer contributes significantly to citizen satisfaction, operational cost reduction, and the achievement of client strategic objectives.

Growth Opportunities:

• Service Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, such as accessibility, ethical design, or complex system transformation.

• Leadership Development: Progress into roles with broader team leadership responsibilities, such as Head of Service Design or Practice Lead, managing multiple projects and teams.

• Strategic Consulting: Develop expertise in broader digital strategy, transformation consulting, and client advisory services, potentially moving into higher-level consulting roles.

• Mentorship and Coaching: Formalize coaching and mentoring activities, contributing to the development of junior talent within Opencast's service design community.

• Business Development: Contribute to pre-sales activities, proposal writing, and client relationship management to secure new business opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Future Opportunity" nature of this role suggests Opencast is proactively building its talent pipeline for senior service design roles. The career path clearly indicates opportunities for leadership, specialization, and strategic influence within the consulting domain, particularly within the public sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Opencast operates a hybrid model, utilizing hub offices in various UK cities (Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London) as well as client sites. This model emphasizes in-person collaboration while offering flexibility.

Office Location(s): Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, London. These are primary hub locations where consultants can work, collaborate, and meet clients.

Workspace Context:

• The environment fosters collaboration, with emphasis on in-person interaction for workshops, brainstorming, and relationship building.

• Access to necessary tools and technology for service design, project management, and remote collaboration is expected.

• Opportunities for regular interaction with a diverse practice of service designers, consultants, and client teams are inherent to the role.

• The hybrid nature means individuals will split time between home working and office/client site attendance, requiring self-discipline and effective time management.

Work Schedule: While a standard full-time schedule is implied (approximately 37.5-40 hours/week), project demands may require flexibility. The hybrid arrangement allows for some autonomy in structuring workdays, balancing personal needs with client and team requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on regular on-site attendance and travel signifies that Opencast values face-to-face collaboration and client engagement. Candidates should be comfortable with a hybrid model that requires significant physical presence in offices and at client locations across the UK.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: Talent Engagement team reviews submitted applications for alignment with role requirements, especially SC clearance eligibility.

• Screening Call: A preliminary conversation to assess experience, motivation, and basic fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Interview: Candidates present a piece of work demonstrating their service design experience, followed by in-depth questions about their approach, leadership, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills. This is likely a panel interview with senior members of the service design practice and potentially client representatives.

• Final Interview/Assessment: May involve a further discussion, a practical exercise, or an assessment focused on cultural fit and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Focus on the tangible outcomes and impact of your service design work, not just the process. Quantify results where possible (e.g., improved efficiency, user satisfaction scores).

• Demonstrate GDS/Gov Standards: Clearly illustrate how you have applied GDS principles and government service standards in your projects.

• Highlight Leadership & Collaboration: Provide examples of how you have led initiatives, influenced stakeholders, coached others, and fostered collaboration.

• Structure Your Presentation: Organize your presentation logically: problem, your role, process, solution, outcomes, and lessons learned. Use visuals effectively.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your decision-making process, challenges faced, and how you handled difficult stakeholder situations.

Challenge Preparation:

• Service Design Scenario: Be prepared for a hypothetical service design challenge. Practice outlining your approach, key considerations, and potential solutions within a given timeframe.

• Stakeholder Management Simulation: Practice articulating complex ideas and justifying design decisions to different stakeholder personas (e.g., technical leads, business managers, end-users).

• Agile Context: Understand how service design integrates within agile methodologies and be ready to discuss your role in sprint planning and backlog refinement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes the candidate's ability to demonstrate practical experience through a portfolio presentation. Candidates must be strategic in selecting their case study to align with the role's core requirements, particularly GDS experience and leadership.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design & Prototyping Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Miro, Mural (for collaboration, wireframing, prototyping, journey mapping).

• User Research Tools: Various platforms for online surveys, interviews, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, SurveyMonkey, Lookback).

• Project Management Software: Jira, Confluence (common in agile environments for tracking work, documentation, and collaboration).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for analyzing user behavior and service performance metrics (specific tools not listed, but likely includes web analytics, CRM data, and custom reporting dashboards).

• Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) may be used for presenting insights. CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus for Service Designers, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation tools impact service delivery and user experience is beneficial.

• Familiarity with how APIs and system integrations support end-to-end service flows.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tool requirements aren't detailed, proficiency in standard service design and collaboration tools is assumed. The ability to interpret data from various sources to inform design decisions is crucial, even if direct tool usage for analytics isn't the primary function.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purpose-Driven: A strong commitment to making a positive impact, particularly within the public sector, by improving services for citizens.

• Collaboration: Emphasis on working together, sharing knowledge, and building strong relationships internally and with clients.

• Learning & Growth: A culture that encourages continuous professional development, skill-sharing, and learning from experience.

• Quality & Integrity: Adherence to high standards of work, ethical practices, and client confidentiality, including robust security protocols.

• Inclusivity & Diversity: Valuing diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and ways of thinking to create fairer services and a more inclusive workplace.

• Efficiency & Effectiveness: A drive to simplify processes, optimize systems, and deliver solutions that are both effective and sustainable.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamlessly working with diverse teams (developers, project managers, policy experts, client stakeholders) to achieve shared goals.

• Open Communication: Encouraging honest feedback, constructive challenge, and transparent dialogue.

• Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in communities of practice, internal workshops, and mentorship to disseminate expertise.

• Client Partnership: Building collaborative relationships with clients, acting as trusted advisors and co-creators of solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Opencast's culture appears to be built around a strong sense of purpose, continuous improvement, and collaborative teamwork. Candidates who thrive in environments that value impact, learning, and strong professional relationships will likely find a good fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Public Sector Environments: Understanding and influencing bureaucratic structures, diverse stakeholder needs, and legacy systems within government organizations.

• Balancing Competing Priorities: Juggling user needs, business objectives, technical limitations, and security requirements within project constraints.

• Driving Change in Established Systems: Overcoming resistance to change and embedding new service design practices within client organizations.

• Maintaining SC Clearance Requirements: Adhering to strict security protocols and ensuring continuous eligibility for the clearance throughout employment.

• Geographic Distribution: Managing client relationships and team collaboration effectively across multiple UK locations in a hybrid model.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Service Design Techniques: Opportunities to explore and master specialized service design methodologies and tools.

• Public Sector Transformation Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge of public service delivery challenges and digital transformation within government.

• Consulting Skills Enhancement: Developing advanced client management, strategic advisory, and business development skills.

• Mentorship Programs: Access to senior mentors within Opencast to guide career progression and skill development.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Support for attending relevant industry events and pursuing certifications to stay abreast of best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges, particularly in the public sector context and the need for security clearance. However, these challenges are paired with substantial growth opportunities, allowing professionals to deepen their expertise, develop leadership skills, and contribute to impactful projects.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex service problem you've solved. What was your approach, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating end-to-end process, GDS adherence, and impact.)

• "How do you build trust and influence senior stakeholders, especially when challenging their existing perspectives or proposed solutions?" (Prepare examples of stakeholder management and negotiation.)

• "Walk us through a service design project where you had to balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints. How did you prioritize?" (Highlight your analytical and decision-making process.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why Opencast? What attracts you to our mission and our work in the public sector?" (Research Opencast's values, recent projects, and their impact.)

• "How do you approach collaboration within a hybrid team and with diverse client stakeholders?" (Discuss your preferred collaboration styles and experience with cross-functional teams.)

• "How do you measure the success and impact of your service design work?" (Be ready to discuss key metrics and your approach to evaluating service effectiveness.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select a Strong Case Study: Choose a project that best showcases your end-to-end service design skills, GDS experience, leadership, and impact.

• Tell a Compelling Story: Structure your presentation around a narrative: the challenge, your role, the process, the solution, and the results.

• Focus on Your Contribution: Clearly articulate your specific actions and decisions, especially in leadership and problem-solving.

• Visual Aids: Use well-designed slides with visuals (diagrams, journey maps, prototypes) to illustrate your points effectively.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your process, challenges, and how you'd handle similar situations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not only your technical service design skills but also your ability to lead, influence, and operate effectively within a consulting environment, particularly in the public sector. Thorough preparation of your portfolio presentation is critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

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

• Tailor Your CV: Ensure your CV clearly highlights experience relevant to the essential requirements, such as GDS/Gov Design Systems, user research, stakeholder management, and agile delivery. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Select a compelling case study that demonstrates your end-to-end service design capabilities, leadership, and impact. Ensure it aligns with the GDS/Gov Design Systems criteria.

• Research Opencast: Understand the company's mission, values, and recent projects, particularly within the public sector, to articulate your motivations effectively.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation and anticipated interview questions, focusing on clear communication, strategic thinking, and demonstrating your problem-solving approach.

⚠️ 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.