Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer Company: AIA Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Job Type: Full-Time Category: Customer Experience & Service Design Date Posted: 2025-10-24 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in shaping exceptional customer, partner, and employee experiences by applying human-centered design principles and leading end-to-end design processes.
• The Service Designer will champion customer-led thinking, collaborating closely with business partners to embed these principles across the organization and deliver seamless, impactful interactions.
• A key focus will be the creation of insight-led journey maps to identify pain points and opportunities, optimizing the customer experience across critical business channels like Learn, Buy, Service, and Claim.
• The position involves contributing to the enterprise CX & Service Design Centre of Excellence, ensuring consistency in design artifacts and methodologies that blend human insight with commercial objectives for profitable, validated experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Service Designer," the responsibilities and required skills strongly indicate a focus on Customer Experience (CX) Design and Strategic Design within a financial services/insurance context. The emphasis on journey mapping, HCD, and business process analysis suggests a role that bridges strategic design with operational execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design of exceptional customer, partner, and employee experiences by creating insight-led current and future state end-to-end journey maps.
• Identify customer pain points and unmet needs, and surface opportunities to enhance customer experience across the Learn, Buy, Service, and Claim journeys within Life, Health, and Vitality business channels.
• Support the Head of CX & Service Design in developing and articulating the CX Vision, strategy, and execution plans for the organization.
• Contribute to the AIA Enterprise CX & Service Design Centre of Excellence to ensure consistency of design artifacts and that initiatives are underpinned by Human-Centered Design (HCD) methodology.
• Balance human insight with commercial drivers to design optimal, validated, and profitable experiences supporting the brand, CVP (Customer Value Proposition), and Customer Experience promise.
• Facilitate internal and external workshops to drive design thinking, gather insights, and foster collaboration among stakeholders.
• Ensure the success of integration initiatives by working collaboratively with partners to define, design, and implement "Best of the Best" solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution, common in mid-to-senior level operations and CX roles. The focus on "leading without authority" and "virtual cross-functional Customer Champion teams" suggests a need for strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, typical in matrixed organizations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Degree qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g., Design, Business, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or related field).

Experience:

• Significant practical experience in one or more design disciplines: Strategic Design, CX Design, Service Design, or UX Design.
• Alternatively, substantial experience in Business Process Analysis with a proven track record of driving change that delivered significant customer growth outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience in leading without authority within highly matrixed organizations, including managing virtual cross-functional Customer Champion teams.
• Proven success in defining and operationalizing Design Thinking and Human-Centered Design (HCD) methodologies, as well as Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) frameworks.
• Experience working in complex services organizations, with financial services and insurance experience being highly desired.

Required Skills:

• Service Design & CX Design: Expertise in designing end-to-end customer journeys, service blueprints, and experience ecosystems.
• Human-Centered Design (HCD) & Design Thinking: Proficient in applying HCD principles and design thinking frameworks to solve complex problems.
• Customer Research & Insights: Strong ability in customer research, insight gathering, synthesis, and translating insights into actionable design strategies.
• Facilitation & Workshop Leadership: Proven ability to facilitate workshops, brainstorm sessions, and collaborative design activities with diverse stakeholders.
• Business Process Analysis: Understanding of business processes and ability to analyze, map, and optimize them for improved customer experience.
• Communication & Presentation: Excellent skills in presenting, communicating, and articulating research insights and design outcomes to various audiences.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to lead without authority and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Behavioral Economics: Understanding of behavioral economics principles and their application to designing desired customer journeys.
• Agile or Lean Methodologies: Experience working within Agile or Lean project management frameworks.
• UX Design: Familiarity with user experience design principles and practices.
• Financial Services/Insurance Industry Knowledge: Prior experience in the insurance or financial services sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of design expertise, analytical rigor, and strong interpersonal skills necessary for influencing within a large, complex organization. The preference for Agile/Lean and industry-specific experience suggests a need for candidates who can integrate quickly and contribute effectively to ongoing projects.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Journey Mapping Examples: Showcase end-to-end customer journey maps (current and future state) for complex service interactions, clearly illustrating pain points, opportunities, and proposed solutions.
• Design Thinking/HCD Case Studies: Present detailed case studies demonstrating the application of Design Thinking or HCD methodologies from problem definition to solution implementation, highlighting the process and impact.
• Service Blueprint/Ecosystem Designs: Include examples of service blueprints or service ecosystem designs that illustrate the interplay of customer actions, front-stage and back-stage services, and technology.
• Research & Insight Synthesis: Provide examples of how customer research (qualitative and quantitative) was conducted, synthesized, and translated into actionable design recommendations or strategic insights.
• Process Optimization Examples: Demonstrate instances where business process analysis led to tangible improvements in customer experience, efficiency, or commercial outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their process for defining and documenting new or improved service designs, including how they gather requirements, map current and future states, and collaborate with technical and business teams.
• Demonstrate familiarity with documenting design outcomes, user flows, and interaction specifications in a way that is clear and actionable for implementation teams.
• Ability to articulate how they measure the success of implemented service designs, linking them to key performance indicators (KPIs) and business value.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, demonstrating not just design output but also the strategic thinking, research methodology, and collaborative process behind it. Candidates should be ready to walk through their portfolio, explaining their role, the challenges, the process, and the measurable impact of their work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Service Designers/CX Designers with 5-10 years of experience in Melbourne, Australia, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between AUD $110,000 to $150,000 per annum. This range can vary depending on the candidate's specific experience, qualifications, and the outcome of the interview process.

Benefits:

• Access to comprehensive training and development programs to enhance current skills and explore new areas.
• Opportunities for career development and advancement through internal mobility and growth pathways.
• Additional paid leave days per year to support work-life balance and personal well-being.
• Participation in a range of Health and Wellbeing initiatives designed to support employees' overall wellness.
• Contribution to a business that positively impacts millions of Australians daily through health and life insurance.
• Supportive and inclusive management, fostering a positive work environment.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position. Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, AIA may offer some flexibility for scheduling, subject to business needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on market data for similar roles in Melbourne, considering the experience level and the complexity of the financial services industry. AIA's stated benefits focus on employee well-being and professional growth, which are attractive to experienced professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Wealth Management)

• AIA operates within the highly regulated and customer-centric financial services sector, specifically focusing on life, health, and vitality insurance products. This context demands a strong emphasis on trust, security, customer outcomes, and long-term relationships. The industry is increasingly driven by digital transformation and a focus on customer experience as a key differentiator.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Part of AIA Group, a pan-Asian life insurance group)

• Being part of a large, established financial institution means the Service Designer will operate within a structured environment with established processes and a broad stakeholder landscape. This size offers opportunities for significant impact and exposure to complex business challenges, but also requires navigating organizational structures and influencing diverse teams.

Founded: AIA Group was founded in 1919. AIA Australia operates as a subsidiary.

• With a long history, AIA possesses deep industry expertise and a well-established brand. The company's longevity suggests a commitment to stability, long-term strategy, and continuous adaptation to market dynamics.

Team Structure:

• The Service Designer will likely be part of a broader Customer Experience (CX) or Digital Transformation team, reporting to the Head of CX & Service Design.
• This team will collaborate closely with various business units, including product development, marketing, sales, operations, IT, and customer service, to embed customer-led design principles.
• The role requires leading "virtual cross-functional Customer Champion teams," indicating a matrixed reporting structure where the Service Designer influences and guides individuals from different departments towards common CX goals.

Methodology:

• AIA emphasizes Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Design Thinking as core methodologies. This implies a data-driven approach that begins with understanding user needs, followed by iterative prototyping and testing.
• The company also values commercial drivers and aims to design "optimal, validated, profitable experiences," suggesting a pragmatic approach that balances user desirability with business viability and technical feasibility.
• Experience with Agile or Lean methodologies is preferred, indicating a dynamic, iterative approach to project execution.

Company Website: https://www.aia.com.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: AIA's strong emphasis on "Healthier, Longer, Better Lives" is a core differentiator. Candidates should align with this purpose-driven mission, demonstrating how their design work contributes to these outcomes. The company's recent award as "Life Insurance Company of the Year" highlights a commitment to excellence that the new Service Designer will help uphold and enhance.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-to-Senior Level Service/CX Designer

• This role sits at a crucial juncture in a design or operations career. It requires not just design craft but also the ability to influence strategy, lead initiatives without direct authority, and operate effectively within a large, complex corporate structure. It's a step beyond execution-focused design roles into strategic partnership and capability building.

Reporting Structure:

• Directly reports to the Head of CX & Service Design.
• Works closely with various business stakeholders, product owners, and cross-functional teams, acting as a key advisor and facilitator in design-led initiatives.
• Leads "virtual cross-functional Customer Champion teams," requiring strong influencing and project management skills to coordinate efforts across different departments.

Operations Impact:

• The Service Designer's impact is directly tied to improving customer, partner, and employee experiences, which in turn drives customer loyalty, retention, operational efficiency, and ultimately, business growth and profitability.
• By embedding customer-led thinking and optimizing service delivery, the role contributes to AIA's strategic goals of helping people live healthier, longer, better lives and achieving its ambition of engaging one billion people by 2030.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific design disciplines (e.g., strategic foresight, complex service systems, behavioral design) or expand into related areas like CX strategy or product management.
• Leadership Development: Progress to leading larger design teams, managing more complex projects, or taking on a Head of CX/Service Design role in the future. Opportunities exist to mentor junior designers and champion HCD across the organization.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain extensive experience working across various business units within a major financial services institution, building a broad understanding of the insurance and wealth management landscape.
• Strategic Influence: Contribute directly to the CX Vision and strategy, influencing organizational direction and decision-making through impactful design and data-driven insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for professionals looking to move from pure design execution to strategic influence and leadership within a purpose-driven, large-scale organization. The focus on embedding HCD principles suggests a long-term impact and the potential to shape the company's design maturity.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Primarily On-site in Melbourne

• The role is designated as on-site, emphasizing the importance of in-person collaboration, workshop facilitation, and direct engagement with colleagues and stakeholders within the AIA Melbourne office.

Office Location(s):

• Melbourne: 509 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• The job posting also lists "Sydney, AU-AIA Australia," suggesting that while the primary posting is for Melbourne, there might be flexibility or related roles in Sydney, or a need to collaborate with teams in Sydney. Candidates should clarify their primary work location.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is expected to be collaborative, encouraging interaction with diverse teams across business functions.
• As part of a large financial institution, access to modern office facilities, technology, and internal communication platforms will be standard.
• The environment likely promotes a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, aligning with AIA's mission and its focus on HCD.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time position, typically 40 hours per week.
• While the role is on-site, AIA's emphasis on "living well and enjoy a meaningful life, at work and at home" suggests a supportive environment that may offer some flexibility in daily scheduling, provided business needs and team collaboration are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement underscores the value AIA places on face-to-face collaboration for design thinking, brainstorming, and team cohesion. Candidates should be prepared for a structured office environment within a large corporate setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review, focusing on resume and portfolio alignment with the role's requirements.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion about experience, motivations, and initial fit for the role and team. This may include behavioral questions.
• Design/Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, showcasing relevant case studies. This will assess their design process, problem-solving skills, HCD application, and ability to articulate impact. Expect deep dives into specific projects.
• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with key business partners and potential collaborators from different departments to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to influence.
• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership, focusing on strategic thinking, cultural fit, and long-term vision alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-4 of your strongest, most relevant projects that best demonstrate your skills in Service Design, HCD, journey mapping, and driving tangible outcomes. Tailor your selection to AIA's industry and challenges.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process (research, ideation, design, testing, implementation), the insights gained, the solutions developed, and most importantly, the measurable results and impact (e.g., improved customer satisfaction, efficiency gains, revenue impact).
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals – journey maps, wireframes, prototypes, service blueprints, research synthesis outputs – to illustrate your work.
• Focus on Process & Impact: Emphasize your thought process and how you applied HCD/Design Thinking. Quantify outcomes wherever possible. Be prepared to discuss the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
• Company Alignment: Research AIA's mission, values, and recent achievements. Be ready to connect your experience and approach to their goals and culture.

Challenge Preparation:

• Candidates may be given a hypothetical design challenge or asked to analyze a common service scenario relevant to insurance.
• Prepare to articulate your approach: How would you frame the problem? What research methods would you employ? How would you involve stakeholders? How would you iterate on solutions?
• Consider how you would balance customer needs with business objectives and technical constraints.
• Practice presenting your thought process clearly and concisely, as you might be asked to present your approach or solution within a limited timeframe.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to evaluate not just design skills but also the candidate's ability to navigate a corporate environment, influence stakeholders, and drive measurable business impact. A well-prepared, impactful portfolio presentation is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design & Collaboration Tools:

• Journey Mapping & Prototyping: Tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Miro, Mural, Lucidchart, or similar platforms for creating journey maps, wireframes, prototypes, and service blueprints.
• Research & Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools used for customer surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics), user testing (e.g., UserTesting.com), and potentially analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to gather and synthesize insights.
• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency in using platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Confluence, or JIRA for team communication, documentation, and project management.

CRM & Data Management:

• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) is beneficial, as service design often intersects with customer data and relationship management.
• Understanding of how customer data is managed and utilized to inform design decisions.

Automation & Process Tools:

• While not a primary focus, an understanding of workflow automation tools or Business Process Management (BPM) software can be advantageous for designing and implementing efficient service processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, proficiency in standard industry design and collaboration tools is expected. The emphasis on HCD and journey mapping suggests a need for tools that facilitate visual thinking, prototyping, and collaborative design. A foundational understanding of CRM and data analytics will enhance the candidate's ability to connect design to business outcomes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and prioritizing customer needs in all design and business decisions.
• Collaboration & Partnership: Valuing teamwork across departments to achieve shared goals and deliver integrated experiences.
• Continuous Improvement: A drive to constantly seek better ways of working, optimizing processes and experiences through iteration and learning.
• Purpose-Driven: Aligning daily work with AIA's overarching mission of helping people live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives.
• Data-Informed Decision Making: Utilizing insights from research and analytics to guide design choices and measure impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires actively engaging with diverse teams (e.g., Marketing, Product, IT, Operations, Claims) to co-create solutions and ensure seamless implementation.
• Empathetic Communication: A style that fosters open dialogue, active listening, and constructive feedback, building trust and shared understanding among stakeholders.
• Facilitative Leadership: Guiding groups through design processes, ensuring all voices are heard and contributing to collective problem-solving.
• Proactive Engagement: Initiating conversations and seeking opportunities to embed design thinking and CX best practices across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: AIA's values, particularly around customer focus and purpose, are central to its identity. Candidates should demonstrate how their personal values and working style align with these principles, showcasing a genuine desire to make a positive impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Large Matrixed Organization: Influencing diverse stakeholders with potentially competing priorities requires strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Embedding HCD: Shifting established organizational mindsets and processes to fully embrace human-centered design can be a long-term cultural challenge.
• Balancing Customer Needs with Commercial Viability: Designing solutions that are both desirable for customers and feasible/profitable for the business requires strategic trade-offs and strong justification.
• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the ROI of service design initiatives, especially in a complex environment, can be challenging but is crucial for demonstrating value.
• Adapting to Industry Evolution: The financial services and insurance sectors are rapidly changing due to technology and customer expectations, requiring continuous learning and adaptation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen CX/Service Design Expertise: Access to training, workshops, and conferences focused on advanced design methodologies, behavioral economics, and CX strategy.
• Industry Knowledge: Gain in-depth understanding of the life, health, and insurance sectors, including regulatory landscapes and market dynamics.
• Leadership Skills: Develop capabilities in stakeholder management, influencing, and leading cross-functional teams through formal training and practical experience.
• Digital Transformation: Contribute to and learn from AIA's ongoing digital transformation initiatives.
• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from senior leaders within the CX and design community at AIA.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in large organizations. Successful candidates will view these as opportunities for growth, leveraging their skills to drive positive change and develop their leadership capabilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to defining and prioritizing customer pain points and opportunities within a complex service ecosystem. How do you ensure your design strategy aligns with broader business objectives?
• How would you operationalize a new service design within a large, matrixed organization like AIA? What are the key considerations for implementation and adoption?
• Discuss a time you had to influence stakeholders with differing opinions or priorities to adopt a customer-centric solution. What was your strategy, and what was the outcome?

Company & Culture Questions:

• How do you see your role as a Service Designer contributing to AIA's mission of "Healthier, Longer, Better Lives"?
• What are your thoughts on the challenges and opportunities within the Australian insurance industry from a customer experience perspective?
• How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive design environment, especially when working with virtual or cross-functional teams?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each project, follow a clear narrative: Problem Statement -> Your Role & Process -> Key Insights & Decisions -> Solution -> Outcomes & Impact.
• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals that clearly communicate your work. Ensure journey maps and service blueprints are legible.
• Quantify: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., percentage increase in satisfaction, reduction in call volume, improvement in conversion rates).
• Be Specific: Avoid vague statements. Provide concrete examples of your actions and the reasoning behind them.
• Engage: Treat it as a conversation. Be prepared to answer questions about your process, challenges, and decisions. Show enthusiasm and a genuine interest in AIA's mission.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a strategic thinker who can not only design excellent experiences but also navigate a large organization, influence stakeholders, and demonstrate measurable business value. Your portfolio presentation is your primary opportunity to showcase this.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Designer position at AIA:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link, ensuring your resume and any requested documents are uploaded.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating your experience in Service Design, HCD, journey mapping, and business process analysis within complex service environments, ideally with a focus on financial services or insurance.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your experience in leading design initiatives, facilitating workshops, gathering customer insights, and driving measurable outcomes. Use keywords from the job description such as "Service Design," "CX," "HCD," "Design Thinking," and "Business Process Analysis."
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and project outcomes using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail and how you align with AIA's mission.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research AIA, its mission, values, recent achievements (like the ANZIIF award), and its position in the Australian financial services market. Understand their commitment to "Healthier, Longer, Better Lives."

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations/CX industry-standard assumptions. All details, particularly regarding salary, benefits, and specific interview stages, should be verified directly with the hiring organization during the application and interview process.