UX Service Designer at Mariner

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Service Designer Company: Mariner Location: Halifax, NS, Canada Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience & Service Design Date Posted: May 02, 2025 Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

This role focuses on enhancing user experiences through strategic service design, integrating digital components to create seamless omni-channel journeys.
The UX Service Designer will be responsible for end-to-end project management of service design initiatives, ensuring alignment with user needs and overarching business objectives.
Key activities include conducting in-depth user research, developing detailed customer journey maps and service blueprints, and facilitating workshops to drive innovation.
The position demands strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with an emphasis on identifying and mitigating potential risks within service offerings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the title "UX Service Designer" and the responsibilities listed, this role clearly falls under a specialized design and operations function focused on optimizing customer interactions and service delivery. The emphasis on "digital component" and "omni-channel" suggests a need for understanding how digital touchpoints integrate with broader service ecosystems, which is a critical aspect of modern service operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Lead and manage service design projects, ensuring the successful delivery of solutions that meet user needs and align with strategic business objectives.
Conduct comprehensive user research, employing qualitative and quantitative methods to gather deep insights into customer behaviors, needs, pain points, and motivations.
Develop detailed customer journey maps, service blueprints, and user flow diagrams to visualize and optimize user experiences across all service touchpoints and channels.
Facilitate collaborative design thinking workshops with cross-functional teams, including product managers, UX designers, developers, business analysts, and stakeholders, to co-create and refine service solutions.
Analyze existing service processes, systems, and user feedback to identify opportunities for improvement, focusing on enhancing efficiency, user satisfaction, and overall service quality.
Create and test prototypes of service concepts, gathering user feedback to validate design decisions and iterate on solutions to achieve optimal outcomes.
Document design processes, decisions, user insights, and service blueprints clearly and comprehensively to ensure transparency, knowledge sharing, and alignment across all involved teams.
Collaborate closely with product management and engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of service design principles and user-centered requirements into product development lifecycles.
Apply systems thinking to understand the interconnectedness of various service components and identify strategic areas for intervention and optimization.
Proactively identify and assess potential risks associated with service design initiatives, developing mitigation strategies to ensure successful implementation and adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic planning, user-centric research, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration, all critical components of successful service operations and GTM strategy execution. The emphasis on "analyzing existing service processes" and "identifying areas for improvement" directly points to a role in optimizing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

A Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Science, Information Systems, Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a closely related field is preferred, demonstrating a foundational understanding of relevant disciplines.

Experience:

Proven experience as a Senior Service Designer or Senior UX Designer, with a strong emphasis on designing services that incorporate significant digital components and manage omni-channel experiences.
A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in service design, user experience (UX) design, or a related field is expected.
Experience working within an Agile development environment, understanding its principles and practices for iterative design and delivery.

Required Skills:

Expertise in core service design methodologies, including journey mapping, service blueprinting, user research (qualitative and quantitative), and systems thinking.
Demonstrated proficiency in workshop design and facilitation, effectively guiding groups through ideation, problem-solving, and decision-making processes.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to dissect complex issues, identify root causes, and develop effective solutions.
Excellent collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse teams, including technical (developers, engineers) and non-technical (product managers, business stakeholders) individuals.
Proven ability to understand and translate stakeholder and end-user needs into actionable design requirements and product features through rigorous research activities.
Experience in designing, conducting, and analyzing user experience testing and validation sessions to gather feedback and iterate on designs.
Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas, design decisions, and recommendations clearly to various audiences.

Preferred Skills:

Experience with Design Thinking and/or Human-Centered Design methodologies, applying these frameworks to drive innovation and user-centric solutions.
A solid understanding of risk assessment and risk management practices, particularly as they apply to service design and implementation.
Prior experience in change management and stakeholder management, facilitating the adoption of new services and processes.
Familiarity with working in or with a public sector environment, understanding its unique operational and user engagement considerations.
Certification or formal training in Service Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), User Experience (UX) Design, or related disciplines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills directly align with operational excellence, focusing on process optimization, user satisfaction, and effective cross-functional collaboration. The preference for Design Thinking and Human-Centered Design indicates a company culture that values iterative improvement and user-centric operational strategies.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of service design and UX projects, with a particular emphasis on those involving digital services or omni-channel experiences.
Demonstrations of your ability to conduct user research, develop customer journey maps, and create service blueprints, clearly illustrating your process and insights.
Case studies that highlight your problem-solving approach, detailing how you identified user needs, designed solutions, and measured impact.
Evidence of your facilitation skills, potentially including examples of workshop outputs or methodologies used to drive collaborative design.
Visualizations of user flows, prototypes, and final designs, demonstrating your ability to translate concepts into tangible outputs.

Process Documentation:

Examples of how you document your design process, including research findings, design decisions, and rationale, to ensure transparency and knowledge transfer.
Documentation showcasing your approach to iterating on designs based on user feedback and testing results, highlighting a commitment to continuous improvement.
Evidence of your ability to work within an Agile framework, potentially including examples of how you integrate service design into sprints or development cycles.
Documentation that illustrates your understanding of systems thinking and how you map complex service ecosystems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio that details process, user research, and measurable impact is a strong indicator that this role is deeply embedded within operational improvement initiatives. Candidates are expected to demonstrate not just design skills, but also the ability to manage and document processes that lead to tangible business outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry standards for a Senior UX Service Designer in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is CAD $90,000 - $120,000. This estimate considers the cost of living in Halifax, the demand for specialized design skills, and the seniority of the role.

Benefits:

Flexible Work Location Support: Options for remote work or work-from-home, with potential for some on-site requirements, offering flexibility in your work environment.
Competitive Compensation: A competitive salary package designed to attract and retain top talent, reflecting your skills and experience.
Retirement Savings Program: A program to help you save for the future, likely including company matching contributions.
Rewards Program: An incentive program that recognizes and rewards contributions and achievements.
Comprehensive Health Benefits: Including health, dental, and vision insurance plans to cover your well-being.
Life and Disability Insurance: Providing financial security for you and your family.
Access to e-Health Care: Offering convenient virtual healthcare services.
Paid Time Off: Generous paid vacation, paid sick leave, and specialized Mariner MyLife days for personal time.
Family Leave: Paid maternity and parental leave to support new parents.
Unlimited Training: A commitment to continuous professional development through unlimited training opportunities, fostering skill advancement.

Working Hours:

Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility often offered to accommodate project needs and work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The extensive benefits package, particularly the "Unlimited Training" and "Flexible Work Location Support," indicates a company that invests in its employees' growth and well-being. This aligns with a supportive operational environment that values continuous learning and employee retention. The salary estimate is based on general Canadian tech market data for senior design roles in similar locations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting & Innovation. Mariner operates within the technology sector, focusing on delivering innovative solutions across data, cybersecurity, cloud, and change management. They partner with clients to drive successful business outcomes, often involving digital transformation and process improvement. Company Size: Mariner is described as a growing company, with a significant number of employees, suggesting a dynamic environment with opportunities for impact and advancement. Founded: Mariner's founding date is not explicitly stated, but the company emphasizes building "a great, everlasting technology company" and fostering long-term client partnerships, indicating a stable and forward-thinking organization.

Team Structure:

The UX Service Designer will likely be part of a broader design, product, or technology solutions team.
Collaboration is expected with product managers, UX designers, developers, business analysts, and other stakeholders across various client projects or internal initiatives.
The role requires working within an Agile environment, suggesting a team structure that embraces iterative development and cross-functional collaboration.

Methodology:

Mariner emphasizes innovation, data utilization, cybersecurity, cloud technologies, and change management as core pillars of their approach.
They practice a human-centered approach, focusing on understanding user needs and solving complex problems to drive successful business outcomes.
The company values continuous learning and skill development, suggesting a culture that supports experimentation and the adoption of new methodologies.

Company Website: https://marinerinnovations.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Mariner's focus on innovation, client partnerships, and a human-centered approach suggests a culture that values operational efficiency driven by user needs and strategic problem-solving. The emphasis on data, cybersecurity, and cloud points to a tech-forward environment where operational processes are likely to be technologically enabled and data-driven.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level position, indicating a need for significant experience, a high degree of autonomy, and the ability to lead projects and mentor junior team members. The role is pivotal in shaping service offerings and improving user experiences, directly impacting operational efficiency and client satisfaction. Reporting Structure: The UX Service Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of UX, Director of Product, or a similar senior leadership role within the product or technology division. Direct collaboration with project managers and cross-functional team leads is expected. Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on operational efficiency by designing streamlined and user-friendly service processes. By improving user experiences and identifying areas for improvement, the UX Service Designer contributes to increased customer satisfaction, reduced operational friction, and potentially higher revenue through enhanced service adoption and loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead complex service design projects, mentor junior designers, and potentially transition into team lead or management roles within the design or operations functions.
Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, user research, digital transformation, or UX strategy through ongoing training and project experience.
Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain exposure to various industries and client challenges, broadening understanding of different operational models and business needs.
Strategic Contribution: Contribute to the strategic direction of service offerings and the overall customer experience strategy for Mariner and its clients.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation and emphasis on leading projects and contributing to strategy indicate a clear career path within operations and design. Growth opportunities are tied to developing leadership capabilities and deepening specialized skills, which are highly valued in operations-focused roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting mentions "Flexible work location support for remote work/work from home. Some on-site work may be required." This suggests a hybrid work model, combining the benefits of remote flexibility with the collaborative advantages of in-office interaction. Office Location(s): Halifax, NS is the primary location mentioned for this role. Workspace Context:

The hybrid model fosters a collaborative environment, allowing for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and in-person workshops when needed.
Access to modern design tools and technologies is expected, supporting the creative and analytical aspects of the role.
Opportunities for interaction with diverse teams (product, engineering, business) will be frequent, promoting knowledge sharing and a holistic understanding of service delivery.
The company culture emphasizes valuing people, community impact, and problem-solving, suggesting a supportive and engaging work environment.

Work Schedule:

Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with a degree of flexibility to manage project timelines and personal commitments, aligning with the hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment is common in modern operations roles, offering a balance between focused individual work and collaborative team engagement crucial for process design and improvement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience against the job requirements.
Technical/Skills Assessment: Likely involves a practical exercise or case study focused on service design challenges, user research interpretation, or process mapping. This will evaluate your problem-solving approach and methodological understanding.
Behavioral Interviews: Questions designed to assess your fit with Mariner's values, your collaboration style, communication skills, and experience in handling complex situations. Expect questions related to past projects, team dynamics, and how you approach challenges.
Stakeholder/Team Interviews: Conversations with potential team members or cross-functional colleagues to evaluate your ability to collaborate and integrate within the team.
Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your skills in service design, user research, journey mapping, and problem-solving, particularly those with digital or omni-channel components.
Highlight Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the methodologies used (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), key decisions made, and the rationale behind them.
Showcase Impact: Quantify results wherever possible. Did your design improve user satisfaction scores, reduce task completion time, increase conversion rates, or streamline operational processes? Use metrics to demonstrate ROI.
Visual Storytelling: Present your work visually using journey maps, service blueprints, wireframes, user flows, and prototypes. Ensure clarity and conciseness in your explanations.
Tailor to Mariner: If possible, research Mariner's clients or industry focus and highlight projects that demonstrate relevant experience or align with their values.

Challenge Preparation:

Anticipate Design Thinking Exercises: Be prepared for tasks that require you to map a user journey, design a service touchpoint, or propose solutions to a given user problem within a limited timeframe.
Practice Articulation: Develop concise ways to explain your design process, rationale, and outcomes. Practice presenting your portfolio pieces and how they demonstrate your operational thinking.
Focus on Collaboration: Think about how you would collaborate with different stakeholders (e.g., engineers, product managers) to implement your service designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review with a focus on process, impact, and strategic thinking underscores the operational nature of this role. Candidates must demonstrate not just creative design skills but also the ability to manage and improve processes that drive business value.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Design & Prototyping Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision (for wireframing, prototyping, and creating user flows).
Collaboration & Whiteboarding Tools: Miro, Mural (for remote workshops, journey mapping, service blueprinting, and brainstorming).
User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Optimal Workshop, Lookback (for conducting user interviews, usability testing, and analyzing research data).
Documentation Tools: Confluence, Notion, Google Workspace (for documenting processes, research findings, and project plans).

Analytics & Reporting:

Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (for understanding user behavior on digital platforms).
Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI (potentially used to analyze user data and present insights).

CRM & Automation:

CRM Systems: Salesforce, HubSpot (understanding how service design integrates with customer relationship management).
Workflow Automation Tools: Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat) (awareness of how automation can support service delivery).

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in collaboration and design tools is essential for service designers. Familiarity with analytics and CRM systems is also beneficial, as it allows for a deeper understanding of the operational context and the impact of design decisions on broader business metrics.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A commitment to constantly seeking better ways to deliver services and improve user experiences, aligning with Mariner's ethos of "innovate always and everywhere."
User-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and meeting the needs of users, ensuring that all service designs are built with the end-user in mind.
Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working together, sharing knowledge, and supporting team members to achieve collective success.
Problem-Solving & Resilience: A proactive approach to tackling complex challenges, demonstrating thoroughness, reliability, and the ability to find effective solutions.
Impact & Purpose: A drive to create meaningful impact through solving complex problems and contributing positively to the community and client outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires seamless collaboration with diverse teams (product, engineering, marketing, business stakeholders) to ensure that service designs are technically feasible, strategically aligned, and effectively implemented.
Open Communication: An environment that encourages open dialogue, feedback exchange, and transparent communication regarding design processes, decisions, and outcomes.
Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative collaboration, quick feedback loops, and adaptability to changing requirements within a project lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mariner's stated values such as "We serve by solving complex problems," "We care for our team," and "We innovate always and everywhere" directly translate into an operational culture that prioritizes efficiency, collaboration, and continuous improvement driven by user needs and technological advancement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Effectively navigating the trade-offs between ideal user experiences and practical business requirements, technical limitations, and budget constraints.
Managing Stakeholder Expectations: Aligning diverse stakeholder needs and perspectives, ensuring buy-in and buy-in for design decisions across different departments and levels.
Integrating Digital and Physical Service Touchpoints: Designing cohesive experiences across omni-channel environments where digital interactions seamlessly complement or lead into physical service delivery.
Adapting to Evolving Technologies and User Behaviors: Staying abreast of rapid technological advancements and changing user expectations to ensure service designs remain relevant and effective.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Advanced Service Design Techniques: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like service journey mapping, customer experience strategy, and service innovation frameworks.
Industry Certifications: Pursuing certifications in UX design, Service Design, Design Thinking, or Agile methodologies to formalize skills and knowledge.
Mentorship: Learning from experienced senior designers, product leaders, and operational strategists within Mariner.
Exposure to Diverse Projects: Working on a variety of client projects across different industries, providing exposure to various operational models and business challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specified challenges are common in operational improvement roles, requiring adaptability, strategic thinking, and strong interpersonal skills. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing expertise in areas critical to optimizing service delivery and customer engagement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

Project Deep Dive: Be prepared to walk through 2-3 key projects from your portfolio, detailing the problem, your process, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and measurable outcomes. Focus on how your work improved user experience and operational efficiency.
Problem-Solving Scenarios: Expect questions like, "How would you approach improving the onboarding process for a new digital service?" or "How would you redesign a customer support interaction to reduce wait times?" Be ready to outline your methodology step-by-step.
Stakeholder Management: Discuss how you have managed conflicting stakeholder requirements or gained buy-in for your design recommendations in past roles.

Company & Culture Questions:

Mariner's Values: Research Mariner's core values and be ready to articulate how your personal values and work style align with them. Consider how you "care for our team," "serve by solving complex problems," and "innovate always."
Team Collaboration: Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to a collaborative and supportive team dynamic. How do you handle disagreements within a team?
Operational Impact: Be ready to discuss how your design work directly impacts business outcomes, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio presentation logically, perhaps by project type or by showcasing a range of skills. For each project, clearly state the objective, your role, the process, key deliverables, and results.
Focus on "Why" and "How": Don't just show what you did; explain why you made certain design choices and how your process led to the outcome. Emphasize the operational rationale behind your decisions.
Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your projects. If exact numbers aren't available, use qualitative feedback or observable improvements.
Engage Your Audience: Be prepared to answer questions and potentially discuss your work interactively, demonstrating your communication and presentation skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for these types of questions will help candidates demonstrate their strategic thinking, operational understanding, and cultural fit with Mariner, crucial for a role focused on enhancing services.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Service Designer position:

Submit your application through the provided link on the Dayforce portal.
Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience and skills directly relevant to service design, UX, user research, journey mapping, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description to ensure ATS compatibility. Quantify achievements with specific metrics where possible.
Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your most impactful service design projects. Ensure each project clearly demonstrates your process, problem-solving approach, user research insights, design deliverables (journey maps, blueprints, prototypes), and measurable outcomes related to user experience or operational improvement.
Prepare for Case Studies: Anticipate a practical exercise or case study during the interview process. Practice outlining your approach to common service design challenges, focusing on methodology and collaboration.
Research Mariner: Familiarize yourself with Mariner's services, client work, company values, and culture. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate your genuine interest and fit.

⚠️ 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.

UX Service Designer