Senior Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer
Company: PA Consulting
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Design Operations / GTM Operations (Design Strategy & Consulting)
Date Posted: October 20, 2025
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and deliver complex, fast-paced, and innovative service design projects from strategy to execution, driving design excellence across diverse client sectors.
• Champion design strategy and implementation, solving intricate business and design challenges through a blend of vision and pragmatism.
• Foster strong client relationships and build high-performing, motivated teams to achieve enduring results.
• Contribute to business development by shaping new client offers and enhancing existing ones, acting as a core consultant with design at the forefront.
• Mentor design colleagues and contribute to the global design community, promoting a culture of learning and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Service Designer," the responsibilities and context provided by PA Consulting lean heavily into consulting, business development, and strategic leadership within design. This role bridges pure design execution with client-facing consulting, making it relevant to GTM operations by influencing how clients engage with design services and how those services are structured and delivered. The emphasis on "shaping design strategy and implementation" and "consulting" indicates a need for operational rigor in project delivery and client management.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and manage medium-sized design assignments, structuring workstreams, outcomes, and deliverables for complex client challenges.
• Produce exceptional, high-quality design deliverables across the entire design spectrum, ensuring project deadlines are met.
• Develop and maintain strong, trusted client relationships, acting as a key point of contact and influencer for design decisions.
• Build and mentor high-performing, motivated design teams, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.
• Contribute to business development efforts by identifying opportunities, creating new client offers, and enhancing existing ones through strategic design thinking.
• Translate complex business needs into actionable design strategies and implementation plans, ensuring seamless integration of design and business objectives.
• Lead and contribute to proposals, pitches, and senior client conversations, articulating design value and strategic direction.
• Manage risks inherent in complex projects, ensuring successful execution and client satisfaction.
• Champion design excellence and innovation within client projects and across PA Consulting's global design community.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities highlight a strong focus on project leadership, client management, and business development, which are critical operational functions within a consulting firm. The emphasis on "structuring workstreams, outcomes and deliverables" and "managing medium sized assignments" points to the need for robust project management and operational planning skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrable experience in service design, UX/UI, and design strategy are paramount. A degree in Design, HCI, Business, or a related field would be beneficial.
Experience: Minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in service design, with a significant portion in client-facing roles within an agency or consultancy. Proven experience in leading complex design projects and managing client relationships is essential.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in end-to-end service design tools and techniques, including service blueprinting, journey mapping, ecosystem mapping, stakeholder mapping, and service mapping.
• Proven experience in the design and launch of digital products and services.
• Strong capabilities in Design Strategy and Implementation.
• Proficient in UX/UI Design principles and application.
• Extensive experience in a client-facing role, demonstrating the ability to build strong client relationships and own assignment outcomes.
• Experience in leading proposals and contributing to business development activities.
• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical thinking skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Foundational knowledge of AI technologies and their application to achieve business needs and strategies.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in mentoring design colleagues and fostering team growth.
• Familiarity with agile best practices and cross-functional team collaboration.
• Experience in contributing to the development of new client offers and service enhancements.
• Ability to articulate design decisions and rationales clearly to clients and stakeholders.
• Experience with security clearance processes, particularly in the UK.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of deep design expertise and strong consulting acumen. The inclusion of "AI technologies" and "client-facing role" with "leading proposals" highlights the operational aspects of understanding client needs, structuring solutions, and driving commercial growth through design services.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end service design projects, demonstrating strategic thinking, user-centricity, and tangible outcomes.
• Case studies that clearly articulate the client's challenge, the design process employed, key deliverables, and the impact/ROI achieved through the design solutions.
• Examples of service blueprints, journey maps, user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes.
• Demonstrations of how design strategy was translated into actionable implementation plans.
• Evidence of leading design initiatives and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Process Documentation:

• Documented examples of how you have structured and managed complex design projects, including workstream definition, outcome setting, and risk management.
• Examples of how you have utilized service design tools and techniques in a structured, repeatable manner for client engagements.
• Evidence of your approach to integrating design with broader business objectives and technical implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior consulting role focused on design, the portfolio is a critical operational tool. It serves as proof of capability, methodology, and impact. The expectation is that candidates can not only design but also operationalize design thinking into structured project delivery and client-facing outputs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Service Designers with 5-10 years of experience in London, UK, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between £70,000 and £95,000 per annum. This range accounts for the consulting nature of the role, client-facing responsibilities, and the seniority required.

Benefits:

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare for you and your family.
• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days.
• Generous company pension scheme.
• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity-based initiatives.
• Annual performance-based bonus.
• PA share ownership.
• Tax-efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn).

Working Hours: 40 hours per week is the standard, with a hybrid working model requiring a minimum of 2 days per week in the office or on client site. The actual time spent and location may vary by assignment, potentially requiring up to 5 days per week on client site.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on current market data for senior design and consulting roles in London, acknowledging the blend of technical design skills and client management responsibilities. The hybrid model and potential for client-site work are key operational considerations for this role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Consulting Services, Technology, Digital Transformation, Design. PA Consulting operates across a broad spectrum of sectors including consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport.
Company Size: Over 4,000 employees globally. This size indicates a well-established organization with structured processes, diverse teams, and significant resources, offering both stability and opportunities for career progression.
Founded: PA Consulting has a long history, established in 1943. This longevity signifies a stable and experienced firm with deep-rooted expertise and a proven track record in delivering client solutions.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the Digital & Data community, which comprises product, design, and a wide range of other experts working in cross-disciplinary teams.
• The Senior Service Designer will work within agile best practices and collaborate with multiple teams and stakeholders, both internally and with clients.
• There is a strong emphasis on knowledge sharing and peer-level support within the tech and design community.

Methodology:

• Utilizes agile best practices for project delivery.
• Employs customer-centric service design principles.
• Integrates innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies.
• Focuses on data analysis and insights to drive solutions.
• Leverages live in-person whiteboarding and asynchronous communication tools.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: PA Consulting's culture emphasizes ingenuity, innovation, and a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach. For a Senior Service Designer, this means working within a structured consulting framework while having the autonomy to drive design strategy and client engagement. The company's breadth of sectors offers diverse operational challenges.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Consultant / Principal Designer. This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant leadership responsibilities in client engagements and design strategy. It requires a blend of deep technical design expertise and strong consulting skills, operating at a strategic level with clients.
Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, Senior Consultants typically report to a Practice Lead, Partner, or Director within their specific domain (Digital & Data). They are expected to lead project teams and mentor junior members.
Operations Impact: The Senior Service Designer's impact is significant, influencing client strategy, digital transformation initiatives, and the successful delivery of design-led solutions. They are instrumental in shaping client engagements, driving revenue through business development contributions, and ensuring the operational excellence of design projects.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Career Track: Opportunity to progress on a technical track, deepening expertise in service design and related disciplines without necessarily moving to a partner career track.
• Leadership Development: Develop leadership skills through managing projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to business development.
• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas such as AI-driven design, complex sector-specific challenges, or strategic design consulting.
• Learning & Development: Access to a budget for courses, certifications, and continuous learning to stay at the forefront of design and consulting trends.
• Client Impact: Opportunity to work on high-profile, impactful projects for leading organizations across various sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth within a specialized technical track, which is attractive for operations professionals who want to deepen their expertise. The emphasis on client-centricity and business development also points to opportunities for broader operational and strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model. This involves a mix of working from PA Consulting’s offices, client sites, and potentially remotely. The emphasis is on collaboration and client engagement.
Office Location(s): 10 Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DH, UK. PA Consulting also has offices globally in the UK, Ireland, US, Nordics, and Netherlands, indicating a company with a significant international presence.

Workspace Context:

• A collaborative environment that encourages live in-person whiteboarding sessions for problem-solving.
• Access to modern office facilities and client site environments, which can vary in setup.
• Opportunities for interaction with diverse, interdisciplinary teams of experts, fostering knowledge exchange.
• A culture that supports both focused individual work and dynamic team collaboration.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with a hybrid arrangement. Flexibility is expected to meet client needs and project deadlines, potentially requiring more than the standard hours during peak periods or specific client assignments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment, with a minimum of two days in the office or on client site, is a key operational consideration. Candidates should be comfortable with a blend of remote work and in-person collaboration, adapting to different client site requirements.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Quick Call with Recruiter: Initial screening to discuss your application, the role specifics, and PA Consulting’s culture.
• Round 1: Competency or Technical Interview (60 mins): Focuses on behavioral questions or specific technical skills relevant to service design.
• Round 2: Competency or Technical Interview (60 mins): Covers the other aspect (competency if Round 1 was technical, or vice versa).
• Final Round: Meeting with a PA Leader (60 mins): Includes a mini case study and discussion assessing client-centricity and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around key projects, clearly outlining the problem, your role, the process, your specific contributions, and the measurable outcomes/impact.
• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Highlight how you moved from understanding a business problem to defining a design strategy and then executing it.
• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Include examples of service blueprints, journey maps, user flows, and prototypes, explaining the choices behind their creation.
• Quantify Results: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your design solutions (e.g., improved user satisfaction, increased conversion rates, reduced service costs).
• Client & Stakeholder Focus: Emphasize your ability to manage stakeholder expectations, communicate design rationale effectively, and build strong client relationships.

Challenge Preparation:

• Mini Case Study: Be prepared to analyze a business problem and outline a service design approach. Focus on understanding the client’s context, identifying key user needs, and proposing a strategic design solution.
• Client-Centricity: Practice articulating how you would approach client challenges, manage expectations, and ensure the design solution aligns with their business objectives.
• Process & Methodology: Be ready to discuss your service design process, how you adapt it to different project needs, and how you collaborate with diverse teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess both technical design skills and consulting capabilities. The portfolio review is a critical component, serving as a tangible demonstration of operationalizing design thinking into client-ready solutions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design Tools: Expertise in tools for service blueprinting, journey mapping, stakeholder mapping, and user flow creation (e.g., Miro, Mural, Figma, Adobe XD, specialized service design software).
• UX/UI Design Tools: Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, etc.
• Collaboration Platforms: Experience with tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence for agile project management and team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior and measure design impact.
• Ability to interpret data to inform design decisions and report on project outcomes.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus, an understanding of how design integrates with CRM systems and business processes is beneficial.
• Awareness of how AI technologies can be leveraged for administrative tasks, idea generation, and enhancing business strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is design-focused, proficiency in collaborative and project management tools is crucial for operational efficiency. The mention of AI technologies suggests an openness to leveraging new tools for enhanced productivity and innovation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ingenuity: Applying creative and innovative thinking to solve complex problems.
• Collaboration: Working effectively in interdisciplinary teams and with clients to achieve shared goals.
• Excellence: Striving for high-quality outcomes in all aspects of work.
• Curiosity: A continuous drive to learn, explore new ideas, and understand user needs deeply.
• Impact: Focusing on delivering tangible, positive, and enduring results for clients and society.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamlessly working with product managers, developers, strategists, and other consultants.
• Client Partnership: Building trust and working collaboratively with clients to co-create solutions.
• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in the design community, sharing insights, and mentoring peers.
• Agile & Iterative: Embracing agile methodologies and an iterative approach to design and problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: PA Consulting's values are deeply embedded in their operational approach, emphasizing a proactive, collaborative, and results-oriented culture that is essential for a consulting environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Client Environments: Adapting design strategies to diverse client needs, organizational structures, and varying levels of digital maturity.
• Balancing Design Excellence with Commercial Realities: Ensuring high-quality design outcomes while meeting project timelines, budgets, and business objectives.
• Influencing Senior Stakeholders: Effectively communicating design value and driving adoption of design-led solutions among senior client leadership.
• Staying Ahead of Technological Advancements: Continuously learning and integrating new technologies, particularly AI, into design thinking and client solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Access to budgets for courses and certifications in advanced service design, UX/UI, AI in design, and consulting skills.
• Mentorship Programs: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders and to mentor junior team members, fostering leadership growth.
• Cross-Sector Exposure: Working across various industries provides broad operational and strategic insights.
• Community of Practice: Engaging with a global network of design professionals for continuous learning and best practice sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical of senior consulting roles, requiring strong adaptability, strategic thinking, and communication skills. The growth opportunities are structured to support continuous professional development in both technical design and consulting operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Operations Strategy: "Describe a complex client project where you had to define the service design strategy from scratch. What was your approach, what challenges did you face, and how did you ensure alignment with business goals?" (Focus on structured problem-solving, strategic planning, and outcome articulation.)
• Stakeholder Management: "How do you manage conflicting priorities and expectations from different client stakeholders? Provide an example of how you navigated a difficult stakeholder situation." (Highlight communication skills, negotiation, and consensus-building.)
• Problem-Solving & Efficiency: "Imagine a client wants to improve their customer onboarding process with limited budget. Outline your approach to identifying key pain points and proposing efficient, high-impact design solutions." (Demonstrate analytical thinking, prioritization, and practical application of design tools.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Client-Centricity: "Why PA Consulting, and how do you see your service design expertise contributing to our clients' success and our firm's growth?" (Show research into PA's values and sectors, and articulate your value proposition.)
• Team Dynamics: "Describe your ideal cross-functional team environment. How do you foster collaboration and ensure design is integrated effectively with other disciplines?" (Emphasize collaboration, communication, and understanding of agile/interdisciplinary workflows.)
• Impact Measurement: "When a project is complete, how do you measure the success and impact of your design interventions? Can you provide an example where you used data to prove the value of your design work?" (Focus on metrics, ROI, and data-driven decision-making.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Craft a compelling story for each case study, guiding the interviewer through the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, and the ultimate impact.
• Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio visuals are clean, professional, and clearly illustrate your design thinking and deliverables. Use annotations to explain your choices.
• Focus on "Why": Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design decisions at every stage. Why this tool? Why this approach? Why this solution?
• Quantify Impact: Highlight quantifiable results and business benefits achieved through your design work. If exact numbers aren't available, discuss the intended impact and how it would be measured.
• Conciseness: Be mindful of time, especially during the mini case study. Focus on the most critical aspects of your work and your strategic contributions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for a senior consulting role requires demonstrating not only design craft but also strategic thinking, business acumen, and operational project leadership. The portfolio is the central artifact for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Service Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in client-facing consulting, service design strategy, and leading complex projects, aligning with PA Consulting's values and sectors.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your years of experience, key service design skills, project leadership achievements, and any experience with AI technologies or security clearances. Use operations-centric keywords like "project management," "stakeholder engagement," and "deliverables."
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, client management approach, and business development contributions. Prepare your portfolio for a concise and impactful presentation, focusing on strategic thinking and measurable results.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research PA Consulting, its core sectors, recent projects, and its emphasis on "ingenuity." Understand their approach to client relationships and digital transformation to demonstrate cultural fit and strategic alignment.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details, particularly regarding salary and specific interview stages, should be verified directly with PA Consulting during the application process. Security clearance requirements are critical for UK roles and require specific residency criteria.