Senior Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer
Company: WPP
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Operations / Change Management / Employee Experience Design
Date Posted: 2025-10-02T14:42:13
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in shaping the employee experience for WPP's new AI-enabled marketing platform, focusing on how 100,000 global employees interact with new ways of working and advanced technology.
• Responsibilities include designing and optimizing service experiences, managing employee journeys, applying system thinking, and defining service offerings within a complex global ecosystem.
• Critical for driving digital transformation and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across WPP's diverse network of agencies.
• Requires close collaboration with researchers, behavioral designers, and instructional designers to leverage insights and ensure effective user adoption and proficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: While titled "Senior Service Designer," this role is deeply embedded within operations and change management, focusing on the internal employee experience and platform adoption. Its strategic importance lies in enabling WPP's AI-driven transformation, making it a key operational lever for efficiency and integration across their global network.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design and optimization of employee journeys within WPP's new global AI-enabled marketing platform, identifying and addressing pain points to enhance efficiency and collaboration across diverse agencies.
• Facilitate high-impact workshops with global stakeholders and employees to co-create comprehensive service blueprints, ecosystem maps, and new operational processes that streamline workflows.
• Apply system thinking to design and refine complex service ecosystems, ensuring seamless integration and efficiency across a multitude of tools and processes within WPP's matrixed organization.
• Design and prototype innovative service concepts, encompassing digital interfaces, support channels, and operational workflows, to improve the employee experience and accelerate time to proficiency.
• Collaborate closely with Behavioral Designers to integrate nudges and behavioral interventions into platform workflows, driving adoption and maximizing efficiency of new ways of working.
• Partner with Instructional Designers to ensure clear communication and effective, just-in-time training content for platform users, aligning with WPP's micro-learning strategy.
• Actively participate in user testing and gather continuous employee feedback to iterate on designs, focusing on reducing friction points and improving overall platform usability.
• Present compelling design solutions and strategic rationale to project teams and internal stakeholders, clearly articulating how designs support WPP's digital transformation vision within the Change and Enablement team.
• Contribute to the measurement of platform adoption and identify key areas for continuous service improvement and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design thinking and hands-on execution, with a strong emphasis on user-centricity for internal employees. The role acts as a crucial bridge between WPP's technological advancements and the practical application by its vast workforce, directly impacting operational efficiency and the success of their digital transformation initiatives.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Business, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Service Designer role. The emphasis is on practical experience and portfolio.
Experience: Minimum of 5+ years of dedicated experience in Service Design, with a demonstrable track record of working on complex internal systems, large-scale organizational change initiatives, or enterprise platform implementations.

Required Skills:

• Service Design Expertise: Proven expertise in Journey Management, System Thinking, Service Offerings, and Service Ecosystems design.
• Portfolio: A strong portfolio demonstrating successful work on complex internal systems, large-scale organizational change, or enterprise platform implementations, showcasing tangible improvements and optimized user experiences.
• Global/Matrixed Organization Navigation: Proven ability to design for and navigate the unique challenges inherent in a global, matrixed organizational structure.
• Service Design Tools & Methodologies: Proficiency in a wide range of service design tools (e.g., Miro, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite) and methodologies (e.g., journey mapping, ecosystem mapping, blueprinting, user flows).
• User Research Integration: Strong understanding of how to leverage user research findings (qualitative and quantitative) to inform design decisions and a history of effective collaboration with research teams.
• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to influence and build consensus within complex organizational structures.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Experience in engaging with diverse stakeholders, including global employees and leadership, to gather insights and drive buy-in for design solutions.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: A proactive approach to identifying opportunities for service improvement and operational efficiency.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-enabled platforms or digital transformation initiatives.
• Familiarity with behavioral design principles and their application in user experience.
• Experience working with instructional designers and creating training materials.
• Understanding of change management methodologies.
• Experience in the marketing services or advertising industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements heavily emphasize practical, demonstrable experience through a portfolio, especially for complex internal systems and organizational change. The ability to operate effectively within a global, matrixed environment is a key differentiator for this role, underscoring its operational complexity.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Complex System Design: Showcase projects where you designed or significantly optimized complex internal systems, demonstrating an understanding of interconnected workflows and user impact.
• Organizational Change Impact: Provide case studies detailing your role in large-scale organizational change initiatives, illustrating how service design principles drove adoption, efficiency, or improved employee experiences.
• Enterprise Platform Implementations: Include examples of your work on enterprise-level platform implementations, highlighting your ability to design for scalability, integration, and diverse user groups.
• Journey Mapping & Ecosystems: Present detailed examples of employee journey maps and service ecosystem maps you have created, clearly articulating the insights derived and the subsequent design interventions.
• Measurable Results: Demonstrate how your design solutions led to tangible improvements, such as increased efficiency, reduced friction points, higher adoption rates, or enhanced employee satisfaction.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Evidence of designing and refining operational processes through service blueprints, workflow diagrams, and process maps, with a focus on efficiency and user-centricity.
• System Integration: Documentation illustrating how you considered and designed for the integration of various tools, platforms, and processes within a larger service ecosystem.
• User-Centric Design Practices: Examples of how user research and feedback loops were integrated into your design and iteration processes to ensure solutions meet employee needs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrations of how you documented and communicated design decisions and processes to various teams (e.g., IT, HR, Marketing, Behavioral Design) to ensure alignment and successful implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role, serving as the primary evidence of a candidate's capability to handle complex, enterprise-level service design challenges within an operational context. Emphasis should be placed on demonstrating the practical application of service design methodologies to drive organizational change and improve internal systems.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Service Designer in London with 5-10 years of experience, especially within a large, established organization like WPP, the estimated salary range is typically between £65,000 and £95,000 per annum. This can vary based on specific skills, the depth of portfolio, and the exact scope of responsibilities within the project.
Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Including medical, dental, and vision insurance, often with options for enhanced plans.
• Pension Scheme: A competitive company pension plan with employer contributions.
• Generous Annual Leave: Typically starting at 25-30 days of paid holiday per year, plus public holidays.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, certifications, conference attendance, and access to WPP's learning resources to support continuous skill development.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support services for personal and professional well-being.
• Hybrid Working Model: Flexibility with 4 days in the office, allowing for a better work-life balance.
• Performance-Related Bonuses: Potential for annual bonuses based on individual and company performance.
• Employee Discounts & Perks: Access to various discounts and benefits through WPP's corporate partnerships.

Working Hours: The role is based on a standard full-time work week. While the job description mentions a hybrid model with approximately four days in the office, the total expected working hours are around 40 hours per week. Flexibility may be available, but core working hours will likely align with business needs for collaboration and project delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on industry benchmarks for similar senior-level design roles in London, considering WPP's status as a large, global corporation. Benefits are typical for a company of this size and industry, with a focus on employee well-being and professional growth, which are key attractors for operations and design professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Marketing Services / Advertising / Media & Communications. WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data, and technology capabilities, leveraging creativity to drive client success. Company Size: Over 100,000 employees globally, making it a very large enterprise. This scale means significant complexity in operations, communication, and change management. Founded: WPP was founded in 1982. This long history provides a foundation of established processes and a global footprint, now undergoing significant transformation.

Team Structure:

• WPP Open Change and Enablement Team: This team is at the core of empowering WPP's global network with technology, streamlined processes, and collaborative platforms.
• Reporting Structure: The Senior Service Designer will likely report to a Head of Service Design, Design Lead, or a Director within the Change and Enablement function. They will collaborate closely with project managers, change managers, and functional leads.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: This role requires extensive collaboration with researchers, behavioral designers, instructional designers, IT teams, agency leads, and potentially HR and internal communications to ensure a holistic approach to employee experience and platform adoption.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Design: The team emphasizes designing solutions based on a deep understanding of user needs, leveraging research and feedback.
• System Thinking: Applying a holistic view to understand how different components of the service ecosystem interact and impact the overall employee experience.
• Data-Driven Insights: Utilizing qualitative and quantitative data from research and user testing to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Agile & Iterative Processes: Embracing a continuous improvement approach, iterating on designs based on feedback and evolving business needs.
• AI-Enabled Transformation: A strategic focus on integrating AI capabilities to enhance marketing services and internal operations.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: WPP's vast scale and industry leadership in marketing services provide a unique context. The "Open Change and Enablement" team's mission is critical for managing the operational complexities of such a large, diverse organization, especially during a period of significant digital and AI-driven transformation. The culture is positioned as creative, collaborative, and forward-thinking.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role within the Change and Enablement function, focusing on operationalizing WPP's digital transformation through enhanced employee experience design. It sits at the intersection of technology, operations, and human-centric design. Reporting Structure: The Senior Service Designer will report into a leadership role within the Change and Enablement team, likely a Manager or Director. They will work closely with cross-functional teams, providing design leadership and expertise on platform initiatives. Operations Impact: The role's impact is significant, directly influencing how WPP's 100,000 employees interact with critical new platforms and AI technologies. By optimizing these experiences, the role drives operational efficiency, accelerates adoption of new tools and processes, and ultimately supports WPP's strategic goals of creativity and digital transformation. Success here means enabling the workforce to "make work, just work."

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Potential to grow into a Lead Service Designer or Head of Service Design role, managing teams and setting strategic direction for employee experience design.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like AI experience design, organizational change management, or specific platform strategy within WPP's vast network.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into related operational roles, such as Change Management Lead, Product Management for internal tools, or GTM strategy for new internal platforms.
• Industry Exposure: Gain unparalleled experience in transforming a global leader in the marketing services industry, offering valuable insights for future career advancements.
• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to WPP's learning and development programs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a key enabler of WPP's strategic transformation. Growth opportunities are strong, moving beyond pure design into leadership, strategic operational roles, or specialized areas within a global enterprise. The impact on operational efficiency and employee enablement is a significant career differentiator.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in London and operates on a hybrid model, with approximately four days per week expected in the office. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed to foster teamwork, creativity, and spontaneous interactions. Office Location(s): London, England, United Kingdom. Specific office details would be provided upon inquiry or during the interview process, but WPP has a significant presence in London. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model implies an office space designed for collaboration, with meeting rooms, breakout areas, and potentially open-plan workspaces that encourage interaction.
• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to WPP's suite of design tools, collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack), project management software, and the new AI-enabled marketing platform itself will be integral to the role.
• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities to interact with designers, researchers, change managers, and other operational stakeholders, fostering a dynamic and knowledge-sharing environment.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is approximately 40 hours, with a hybrid arrangement. This allows for structured work planning, essential for executing complex design projects and managing workflows, while also providing flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment in London is designed to balance focused work with collaborative team engagement, which is critical for complex service design projects. The emphasis on office presence for four days a week suggests a culture that values in-person collaboration for brainstorming, workshops, and team cohesion, which is beneficial for operations-focused roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Screening: Review of resume and portfolio against the specified requirements.
• Hiring Manager/Recruiter Screen: A preliminary conversation to assess experience, cultural fit, and alignment with the role's core responsibilities.
• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: Candidates will likely be asked to present a selection of their work, focusing on 1-2 detailed case studies that demonstrate their approach to complex service design, journey management, and system thinking within an organizational context. This is where they will articulate their operational impact.
• Skills-Based Interview / Workshop: A more in-depth interview, potentially including a practical exercise or a design challenge simulation, to assess problem-solving skills, design methodology, and ability to collaborate with hypothetical team members.
• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with key team members and stakeholders from the Change and Enablement team, IT, or agency representatives to evaluate collaboration style and strategic alignment.
• Final Interview: A concluding discussion with senior leadership to finalize the decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your experience with complex internal systems, organizational change, and enterprise platforms. Prioritize projects with clear objectives, your specific contributions, and measurable outcomes.
• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate: the problem/challenge, your role and methodology, the design process (including research, ideation, prototyping), the implemented solution, and the impact/results (quantifiable where possible).
• Highlight Operational Impact: Emphasize how your service design solutions improved workflows, increased efficiency, drove adoption of new technologies/processes, or solved operational pain points for employees.
• Showcase System Thinking: Clearly illustrate your ability to map and design complex service ecosystems and employee journeys, demonstrating an understanding of interconnectedness.
• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs made, how you handled conflicting stakeholder needs, and how you measured success.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand WPP's Context: Research WPP's business, its recent transformations (especially AI and digital), and its operational challenges.
• Focus on Employee Experience: Design challenges will likely revolve around improving internal processes, platform adoption, or employee onboarding/workflows within a large, global organization.
• Demonstrate Process & Methodology: Be ready to articulate your end-to-end service design process and how you would approach a given problem, rather than just presenting a solution.
• Emphasize Collaboration: Show how you would work with different teams (research, IT, HR, etc.) to deliver a successful outcome.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily leans on a candidate's ability to demonstrate practical application of service design principles to solve complex organizational and operational challenges. The portfolio review is critical and should highlight quantifiable impact and system-level thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Design Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, XD), Miro, Mural for collaborative ideation and wireframing.
• Service Design Specific Tools: Tools for journey mapping, service blueprints, ecosystem mapping (e.g., Smaply, Lucidchart, or built within collaboration platforms).
• Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Workspace for communication and team collaboration.
• Project Management Software: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for managing design tasks and project workflows.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Tools: Potentially tools like Google Analytics (if web-based components), Amplitude, Mixpanel for understanding user behavior on digital platforms.
• Survey & Feedback Tools: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Qualtrics for gathering user feedback.
• Internal Data Sources: Ability to interpret data from internal systems and HR platforms to inform journey mapping and identify operational bottlenecks.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how service design impacts CRM processes (e.g., sales enablement, customer support workflows) could be beneficial.
• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts and how to design user-friendly interfaces for automated processes.
• Experience with Single Sign-On (SSO) and enterprise identity management systems might be relevant for platform integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack will be diverse, reflecting WPP's scale. Proficiency in core design and collaboration tools is essential, with a strong preference for candidates who can leverage data analytics and understand the broader ecosystem of enterprise systems. A forward-thinking approach to integrating AI within these tools is also a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Openness: Encourages the free exchange of ideas, inclusivity, and respect for diverse views, fostering a collaborative environment for operations professionals.
• Optimism: Belief in the power of creativity, technology, and talent to build better futures, approaching challenges with conviction and a willingness to explore the new.
• Extraordinary Collaboration: Striving for amazing achievements through teamwork, with a focus on delivering exceptional quality and pioneering solutions in the industry.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasizing the use of insights from research and analytics to inform design and operational strategies.
• User-Centricity: A core value that places the needs and experiences of employees and clients at the forefront of all design and operational efforts.
• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to ongoing learning, iteration, and optimization of processes and experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Strong emphasis on working collaboratively across diverse teams (e.g., IT, HR, research, marketing, agency operations) to ensure holistic solutions and seamless integration.
• Feedback Exchange: A culture that values open feedback, both giving and receiving, to drive design iteration and process refinement.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, insights, and learnings across teams and the wider WPP network to foster collective growth and efficiency.
• Co-Creation: Active engagement in workshops and collaborative sessions to co-create solutions with stakeholders and end-users.

📝 Enhancement Note: WPP's stated values – Open, Optimistic, Extraordinary – point towards a dynamic and purpose-driven culture. For operations professionals, this means being adaptable, collaborative, and focused on innovation and positive impact within a large, global entity. The emphasis on collaboration is key for driving change effectively across WPP's diverse agencies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scale and Complexity: Designing for 100,000 employees across diverse global agencies presents significant challenges in terms of user needs, cultural variations, and technological integration.
• Legacy Systems & Processes: Navigating and integrating new AI-enabled platforms with existing, potentially outdated, systems and ingrained operational processes.
• Driving Adoption: Ensuring widespread adoption and effective use of new platforms and ways of working across a vast, distributed workforce, overcoming resistance to change.
• Balancing Global Consistency with Local Needs: Creating solutions that are globally consistent yet adaptable to specific regional or agency requirements.
• Measuring Impact: Effectively quantifying the impact of service design interventions on operational efficiency, employee productivity, and business outcomes within such a large organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunity to deepen expertise in advanced service design techniques, AI-driven design, and complex ecosystem mapping.
• Industry Transformation Insights: Gain firsthand experience and insights into how a global leader in marketing services is transforming through AI and digital technologies.
• Leadership Development: Potential to transition into leadership roles, managing design teams or leading strategic change initiatives.
• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunities to learn from experts in behavioral design, data science, AI engineering, and various marketing disciplines.
• Professional Certifications & Training: Access to WPP's learning resources and potential support for relevant industry certifications or specialized training programs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers the chance to tackle significant operational challenges at an enterprise scale, akin to managing a transformation project for a significant portion of a global economy. The growth opportunities are substantial, moving beyond pure design into strategic operational leadership and deep industry expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex internal system or enterprise platform you've designed for. What were the key challenges, your approach, and the measurable outcomes?"
  • Preparation: Have a detailed case study ready that showcases your journey mapping, system thinking, and process optimization skills. Focus on quantifying impact and demonstrating how you navigated organizational complexity.
• "How would you approach designing an employee experience for a new AI-powered tool that needs to be adopted by 100,000 employees globally?"
  • Preparation: Outline your phased approach, including stakeholder engagement, user research strategy, iterative design, training considerations, and change management tactics. Emphasize how you'd balance global consistency with local needs.
• "Walk me through a time you had to influence stakeholders with competing priorities to adopt your design recommendations."
  • Preparation: Prepare an example demonstrating your communication, negotiation, and consensus-building skills. Focus on how you used data and user insights to drive your recommendations and align different groups.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about WPP's transformation into an AI-enabled marketing powerhouse, and how do you see service design contributing to that?"
  • Preparation: Research WPP's latest announcements, investor reports, and press releases regarding AI and digital transformation. Connect your skills directly to enabling this strategy.
• "How do you embody WPP's values of Open, Optimistic, and Extraordinary in your work?"
  • Preparation: Think of specific examples from your career that illustrate these values in action, particularly in collaborative or challenging situations.
• "Describe your experience working in a large, global, matrixed organization."
  • Preparation: Highlight your ability to navigate complexity, manage diverse stakeholders, and adapt to different cultural nuances.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your presentation as a narrative, guiding the interviewers through the problem, your process, and the impact.
• Focus on "Why" and "How": Clearly articulate the rationale behind your design decisions and the specific methods you employed.
• Showcase Collaboration: Mention key collaborators and how you worked with them (researchers, developers, stakeholders).
• Quantify Impact: Use metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the success of your projects. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss how you would measure success or what the qualitative impact was.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about specific design choices, trade-offs, and your thought process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, deep understanding of service design methodologies applied to complex operational environments, and the ability to articulate impact and influence stakeholders. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Service Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Greenhouse job portal link provided.
• Portfolio Customization: Prepare your portfolio to prominently feature projects demonstrating your expertise in complex internal systems, large-scale organizational change, and enterprise platform implementations, with a clear focus on operational impact and user experience optimization.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords such as "Service Design," "Journey Management," "System Thinking," "Employee Experience," "Digital Transformation," "Stakeholder Engagement," and "Operational Efficiency." Quantify achievements wherever possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, case studies, and how you would approach WPP's specific challenges, especially concerning AI integration and global employee adoption. Be ready to present your portfolio effectively.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research WPP's business, its transformation initiatives (particularly AI and digital), and its culture. Understand how the Change and Enablement team contributes to WPP's strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.

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