Lead Service Designer (f/m/d)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Service Designer (f/m/d)

Company: Awin

Location: Iași, Iași, Romania

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Service Design / UX Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-02T11:48:34

Experience Level: Senior / Lead

Remote Status: Hybrid / Remote Possibilities

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end service design initiatives, integrating product experiences with operational processes and customer touchpoints to drive significant business growth.

• Champion service strategy and vision, identifying key opportunities to streamline complex customer journeys and enhance organizational value delivery.

• Facilitate strategic discovery and service design workshops, aligning diverse cross-functional teams around critical problems and desired outcomes.

• Map and optimize customer journeys and service ecosystems, proactively identifying and addressing pain points across teams, tools, and user touchpoints.

• Develop and maintain essential service design artifacts, such as journey maps and service blueprints, to foster clarity and drive actionable improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Lead Service Designer," the description heavily emphasizes connecting product experiences with operational processes and reducing "operational friction." This indicates a strong intersection with Revenue Operations, Sales Operations, and GTM functions, requiring an understanding of how service design impacts business efficiency and customer lifecycle management. The role is not purely UX but a blend of strategic design and operational improvement.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Drive end-to-end service design across critical Awin journeys (e.g., onboarding, activation, support), ensuring seamless integration between product experiences, operational workflows, and customer interactions.

• Shape overarching service strategy and vision, proactively identifying opportunities to simplify intricate journeys and enhance how the organization delivers value to its customers.

• Lead and facilitate strategic discovery and service design workshops, fostering alignment among cross-functional teams on shared challenges and desired outcomes.

• Map and systematically improve customer journeys and entire service ecosystems, pinpointing pain points that span across different teams, tools, and customer touchpoints.

• Define and produce key service design artifacts, including but not limited to, detailed journey maps, comprehensive service blueprints, and ecosystem maps, to create organizational clarity and drive concrete actions.

• Collaborate closely with Product and Design teams to ensure all proposed solutions are cohesive, scalable, and consistently aligned with the broader customer experience.

• Actively identify opportunities to reduce operational friction, minimize unnecessary handoffs, and eliminate low-value tasks across various internal teams.

• Partner effectively with Customer Success, Support, and Commercial teams to ensure that real-world service delivery realities are accurately reflected in all design decisions and strategic planning.

• Establish and champion service design standards and best practices, contributing to the embedding of service design thinking throughout the entire organization.

• Lead and mentor other designers and cross-functional team members, elevating the quality and maturity of the organization's service design practice.

• Communicate complex service challenges and innovative solutions clearly and compellingly through effective storytelling, expert facilitation, and robust stakeholder engagement.

• Champion user-centered and evidence-based design principles, ensuring all strategic decisions are firmly grounded in thorough research and genuine customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep involvement in operational efficiency ("reduce operational friction," "minimize unnecessary handoffs," "eliminate low-value tasks") and cross-functional alignment with teams like Customer Success and Commercial. This suggests the role requires a strong understanding of GTM processes and the ability to influence operational outcomes through design thinking, making it highly relevant for operations professionals.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Business, or a related field is typically expected for a Lead-level position. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: Significant experience as a Senior or Lead Service Designer, with a proven track record of working across complex, multi-touchpoint service environments. Demonstrated ability to design and improve end-to-end services by connecting product, process, people, and technology, applying systems thinking to resolve organizational and operational challenges beyond just product or UX issues.

Required Skills:

• Service Design Expertise: Proven ability to lead and execute end-to-end service design projects.

• Systems Thinking: Capacity to understand and influence complex interconnected systems, identifying root causes of operational issues.

• Journey Mapping & Service Blueprinting: Mastery in creating and utilizing these core service design artifacts to visualize and improve service delivery.

• Strategic Mindset: Ability to balance high-level strategic vision with tactical, deliverable improvements.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Demonstrated skill in building consensus and driving action with senior leaders across Product, Engineering, Operations, and Commercial.

• Workshop Facilitation: Expertise in leading productive co-creation and alignment sessions with diverse teams.

• User-Centred Design: Strong commitment to grounding design decisions in user research and validated customer needs.

• Agile Methodology: Experience working effectively within agile, cross-functional development environments.

• Communication & Storytelling: Ability to articulate complex service challenges and solutions compellingly.

• Mentoring & Coaching: Experience in developing and guiding other designers and team members.

• Inclusive Design: Working knowledge of accessible design principles.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with tools such as Figma, FigJam, and Miro for mapping, collaboration, and communication.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the affiliate marketing or e-commerce technology sector.

• Familiarity with CRM systems and their impact on customer journeys.

• Understanding of data analytics to inform service design decisions.

• Experience in change management initiatives within large organizations.

• Knowledge of process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma).

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "connecting product, process, people, and technology" and resolving "organizational and operational challenges" strongly suggests a need for candidates who understand how GTM operations and customer lifecycle management function. Skills in process mapping, stakeholder alignment with commercial teams, and reducing "operational friction" are critical and should be highlighted by applicants.

---

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end service design projects, with a clear focus on connecting product experiences with operational processes and customer interactions.

• Systems Thinking Application: Evidence of how you've applied systems thinking to identify and resolve complex organizational or operational challenges, not just isolated UX issues.

• Process Improvement Examples: Specific examples of how your service design work has led to tangible improvements in operational efficiency, reduced friction, or simplified complex journeys.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Examples of how you've partnered with Product, Engineering, Operations, and Commercial teams to achieve shared outcomes, with clear articulation of your role and influence.

• Artifact Showcase: Presentation of key service design artifacts (journey maps, service blueprints, ecosystem maps) utilized in your projects, explaining their purpose and impact.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate experience in mapping existing workflows and designing optimized future-state service flows that integrate digital experiences with human-led processes.

• Implementation & Automation: Provide examples of how you've contributed to the implementation of service design solutions, potentially involving process automation or technology integration.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Show how you've defined metrics and analyzed performance to validate the impact of service design interventions on customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role blending service design with operational improvement, the portfolio should strongly feature examples of process mapping, workflow optimization, and quantified improvements in operational efficiency or customer lifecycle management. Applicants should be prepared to discuss how their design thinking directly impacted GTM or customer-facing operations.

---

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Lead Service Designer title, significant experience requirement, and location in Iași, Romania, a competitive salary range would typically fall between €4,000 - €6,500 gross per month. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design leadership roles in Eastern Europe, considering Awin's standing as a global tech company.

Benefits:

• Flexi-Week: A unique four-day work week at full pay, with no reduction in annual holiday allowance, prioritizing work-life balance and employee well-being.

• Paid Special Leaves: Access to various paid special leave options for life events and personal needs.

• Flexi-Office & Remote Work: International culture with flexible hybrid and remote work possibilities across Awin regions.

• Health & Well-being Support: Comprehensive support for mental and physical well-being, including access to initiatives and sports offers.

• Professional Development: Extensive training resources through the Awin Academy, covering a wide range of professional and personal skills.

• Remote Working Allowance: Monthly allowance to contribute towards home office running costs and support for setting up an effective remote workspace.

• Peer-to-Peer Recognition: A program to appreciate and reward colleagues with vouchers.

• Additional Benefits: Specific benefits tailored to the country of employment (e.g., health, security) will be discussed during the interview process.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are not explicitly stated but are assumed to be around 40 hours per week, with the notable benefit of a flexible four-day Flexi-Week structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Flexi-Week" benefit is a significant differentiator and should be highlighted. The salary estimate is a broad projection; candidates should research current market rates for Lead Service Designers in Romania and negotiate based on their specific experience and the value they bring to operational improvements.

---

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Awin operates within the affiliate marketing and partner ecosystem technology sector, a dynamic space focused on performance marketing, driving online business growth for clients. This industry context means a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making, ROI, and customer lifecycle optimization.

Company Size: Awin is a significant player in its field, part of the larger Axel Springer group. While the exact employee count for the Romanian office isn't specified, Awin globally is a large organization, suggesting a structured environment with potential for cross-departmental collaboration. This size implies a need for clear processes and efficient operations to manage a global network.

Founded: Established in 2000, Awin has a long-standing history in the digital marketing landscape. This longevity suggests a mature organization with established processes, but also one that has adapted to significant technological and market shifts, fostering a culture of innovation and resilience.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the UX team, but with significant cross-functional collaboration.

• You will work closely with Product, Engineering, Customer Success, and Commercial teams, indicating a matrixed reporting or project-based collaboration structure.

• The Lead Service Designer will also be responsible for leading and coaching other designers and cross-functional team members, suggesting a potential to build out or influence team practices. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Awin's industry necessitates a strong reliance on data to understand performance, customer behavior, and ROI. Service design decisions will likely be informed by analytics.

• Agile & Iterative Processes: Working in cross-functional teams within an evolving problem space points to agile methodologies, emphasizing iterative development and continuous improvement.

• User-Centred & Systems Approach: The core methodology involves deeply understanding user needs and applying systems thinking to design holistic service experiences that are efficient and effective.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Awin's industry in affiliate marketing and its parent company, Axel Springer, suggest a data-intensive and growth-focused environment. Operations professionals will find that Awin values efficiency, customer lifecycle management, and the integration of technology to drive business outcomes.

---

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Lead level, signifying a senior individual contributor with the potential for team leadership and strategic influence. It's a pivotal role for operations professionals looking to bridge the gap between user experience and the practicalities of service delivery and operational efficiency. The scope extends beyond traditional UX to encompass service ecosystems and operational friction reduction.

Reporting Structure: While the role is within the UX team, the emphasis on cross-functional collaboration means reporting lines might be fluid, with direct project reporting to various functional leads (e.g., Head of Product, Head of Operations) depending on the initiative. The Lead Service Designer will likely report into a Head of UX or Design.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on revenue and business decisions by:

• Improving Customer Onboarding & Activation: Streamlining these crucial early stages directly impacts customer acquisition and time-to-value, influencing revenue realization.

• Reducing Operational Friction: Identifying and mitigating inefficiencies in service delivery frees up resources, reduces costs, and improves the experience for both customers and internal teams, indirectly boosting productivity and potentially revenue.

• Enhancing Customer Retention: By improving the end-to-end service experience, the role contributes to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are key drivers of long-term revenue.

• Informing Product Strategy: Service design insights can highlight unmet customer needs or process gaps that inform future product development and strategic GTM initiatives.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to formally lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and potentially build and manage a service design function.

• Strategic Influence: Directly contribute to shaping Awin's service strategy and operational roadmap, gaining exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Deepen understanding of Product, Engineering, Customer Success, and Commercial operations, becoming a versatile GTM strategist.

• Skill Specialization: Further develop expertise in complex service systems, operational process improvement, and user-centred strategy within a dynamic tech environment.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to the evolution of service design practices within the affiliate marketing technology sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, this role offers a unique opportunity to leverage their understanding of business processes and customer lifecycles through the lens of service design. The growth path is clear towards leadership in design strategy or operational excellence within a GTM context.

---

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Awin offers a "Flexi-Office" environment, suggesting a modern workspace designed to support hybrid and remote work models. This typically implies collaborative spaces, meeting rooms equipped for hybrid communication, and potentially hot-desking or flexible seating arrangements.

Office Location(s): Iași, Iași, Romania. The company also mentions an "international culture" and "Flexi-Office and hybrid/remote work possibilities to work across Awin regions," suggesting that while based in Iași, collaboration extends globally.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on workshops, cross-functional teams, and "Life @ Awin" virtual hub activities indicates a culture that values interaction and shared problem-solving, even in a hybrid setting.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to and utilization of collaboration tools like Figma, FigJam, and Miro are explicitly mentioned, facilitating seamless remote and in-office teamwork.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with product, engineering, customer success, and commercial teams, fostering a holistic understanding of the business and its operational challenges.

Work Schedule: The core benefit here is the "Flexi-Week," a four-day work week. While specific daily hours aren't detailed, this structure implies flexibility in how the standard weekly workload is managed, allowing for deeper focus on complex tasks and improved work-life integration, which is beneficial for detailed process analysis and strategic planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Flexi-Office" and "Flexi-Week" structure are key features. Operations professionals should consider how this flexible schedule supports deep work required for process analysis and strategic design, while also facilitating necessary cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

---

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio, focusing on relevant service design experience and demonstrable impact on operational efficiency or customer journeys.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Discussion of your experience, approach to service design, systems thinking, and how you've tackled complex organizational challenges. Expect behavioral questions related to collaboration, influence, and mentorship.

• Portfolio Presentation/Workshop: A session where you'll present a key case study from your portfolio, potentially involving a practical exercise or workshop simulation to assess your facilitation and problem-solving skills in a service design context. This is crucial for demonstrating your ability to connect design with operational outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with representatives from Product, Engineering, Customer Success, and Commercial teams to assess your ability to collaborate, influence, and understand diverse business needs.

• Final Interview: Likely with a senior leader to discuss strategic fit, long-term vision, and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, your role, the solutions you designed, and most importantly, the measurable outcomes. Focus on metrics related to customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, cost reduction, or revenue impact.

• Showcase Process & Artifacts: Present your journey maps, service blueprints, and system diagrams clearly. Explain the rationale behind their creation and how they informed decisions.

• Highlight Operational Connection: Explicitly detail how your service design work addressed operational friction, improved handoffs, or integrated with existing business processes. Use examples of cross-functional collaboration with operations-adjacent teams.

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as compelling narratives. Explain the context, the challenges, your approach, the solution, and the results.

• Demonstrate Facilitation Skills: If possible, include examples or testimonials of your facilitation capabilities in workshops or co-creation sessions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Service Blueprinting Exercise: Be prepared to create or critique a service blueprint for a given scenario, demonstrating your understanding of front-stage and back-stage elements, including operational processes and support systems.

• Journey Mapping Exercise: Practice mapping a customer journey, identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement, with a focus on how operational changes can enhance the experience.

• Systems Thinking Scenario: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a complex, multi-faceted problem that involves interactions between different departments, technologies, and customer touchpoints.

• Stakeholder Alignment Scenario: Prepare to articulate how you would gain buy-in from various stakeholders (e.g., Sales, Support, Product) for a proposed service improvement that requires cross-functional effort.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily evaluate the candidate's ability to translate service design principles into tangible operational improvements. Applicants should prepare to discuss case studies that demonstrate a deep understanding of GTM and customer lifecycle operations and how their design interventions led to measurable business outcomes.

---

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design & Collaboration: Figma (for design and prototyping), FigJam (for whiteboarding and collaboration), Miro (for advanced whiteboarding, journey mapping, and workshop facilitation).

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Tools within Figma or similar platforms to visualize service flows and user interfaces.

• Project Management: Experience with Agile project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello) is likely beneficial for working within cross-functional teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Familiarity with tools that provide insights into customer behavior, operational performance, and business metrics (e.g., Google Analytics, Tableau, Power BI, or internal BI tools) will be advantageous for evidence-based design.

• CRM Data: Understanding how to leverage data from CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) to inform customer journey analysis and identify operational touchpoints.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a CRM administrator role, understanding the role of CRM in customer journeys and operational workflows (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) is crucial.

• Workflow Automation Concepts: Familiarity with how automation can streamline service processes, even if not directly implementing it.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in collaborative design and whiteboarding tools is essential. For operations professionals, a strong understanding of how CRM data and workflow automation impact customer experience and operational efficiency will be a significant advantage.

---

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring that all service design decisions prioritize positive customer outcomes and efficient resolution.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing strong partnerships across Product, Engineering, Operations, and Commercial teams to achieve shared goals and create cohesive end-to-end experiences.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on research, analytics, and performance metrics to inform design choices and validate the impact of service improvements.

• Efficiency & Effectiveness: A drive to identify and eliminate operational friction, streamline processes, and deliver value efficiently for both customers and the business.

• Continuous Improvement: An ethos of constantly seeking ways to enhance services, learn from feedback, and adapt to evolving customer needs and market dynamics.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively seeking to integrate service design thinking into the workflows of other departments, fostering a shared understanding of customer experience and operational dependencies.

• Transparent Communication: Openly sharing insights, challenges, and proposed solutions with all relevant stakeholders, ensuring alignment and managing expectations effectively.

• Co-Creation & Co-ownership: Facilitating collaborative sessions where diverse teams contribute to problem-solving and solution design, fostering a sense of shared ownership over service improvements.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: Encouraging open and honest feedback exchange to refine designs and processes, promoting learning and continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Awin's culture likely emphasizes a blend of innovative design thinking and practical, data-informed execution, mirroring the needs of effective GTM and operations teams. Collaboration is key, requiring strong interpersonal skills to navigate diverse departmental priorities.

---

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Delivery: The need to develop a long-term service vision while also driving immediate, practical improvements in complex, operational environments.

• Influencing Cross-Functional Stakeholders: Gaining alignment and buy-in from diverse teams with potentially competing priorities, requiring strong negotiation and communication skills.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working in evolving problem spaces and complex service ecosystems where clear solutions are not always apparent, demanding adaptability and resilience.

• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the success of service design interventions, especially those impacting operational efficiency and indirect revenue drivers, requires robust data tracking and analysis.

• Embedding Service Design: Establishing and scaling a mature service design practice within a larger organization requires continuous effort in education, advocacy, and demonstrating value.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Service Design Leadership: Opportunities to hone leadership skills by mentoring designers, coaching cross-functional teams, and potentially shaping the future of Awin's service design practice.

• Strategic GTM Insights: Deepen understanding of the affiliate marketing industry, customer acquisition, activation, and retention strategies from a GTM perspective.

• Operational Process Improvement: Gain hands-on experience in identifying and optimizing critical business processes that directly impact customer lifecycle and revenue.

• Advanced Facilitation & Strategy: Develop advanced skills in facilitating complex strategic discussions and driving organizational change through design thinking.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend industry conferences or workshops related to service design, UX, and GTM strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: Operations professionals will find these challenges align with common GTM hurdles: cross-functional alignment, process optimization, and demonstrating ROI. The growth opportunities are excellent for those looking to blend design thinking with operational strategy.

---

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex service you've designed or improved. How did you connect product experiences with operational processes, and what was the measurable outcome?" (Focus on your process, systems thinking, and quantified impact on operations/revenue).

• "How would you approach identifying and reducing 'operational friction' for a specific customer journey, like onboarding or support?" (Prepare a structured approach using service design methodologies and considering cross-functional inputs).

• "Walk us through a time you had to influence senior stakeholders across different departments (e.g., Sales, Engineering, Operations) to adopt a new service design approach. What was your strategy?" (Highlight your communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Awin's business model and the affiliate marketing industry? How do you see service design contributing to our growth?" (Research Awin's market position, competitors, and key value propositions. Connect service design to business objectives).

• "How do you approach embedding service design thinking into teams that may not be familiar with it?" (Discuss your coaching, mentoring, and advocacy strategies, emphasizing collaboration and demonstrating value.)

• "How do you measure the success of your service design interventions, particularly concerning operational efficiency and customer satisfaction?" (Be ready to discuss metrics and KPIs relevant to GTM operations and customer lifecycle management). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on "The Why": Clearly articulate the business problem and customer need that drove your project.

• Showcase Your Process: Detail your methodology, including research, ideation, prototyping, and iteration. Emphasize how you involved cross-functional teams and operational stakeholders.

• Highlight Operational Impact: Explicitly state how your design reduced friction, improved efficiency, or positively impacted business metrics (e.g., conversion rates, retention, cost savings). Use specific numbers and data points.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your artifacts (journey maps, blueprints) are easy to understand and visually appealing.

• Storytelling: Frame your case study as a narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end, highlighting your problem-solving skills and leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating how service design thinking directly translates into improved business operations and measurable GTM outcomes. Candidates should be ready to discuss specific examples of process optimization and cross-functional collaboration with operational teams.

---

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Service Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Greenhouse.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in service design, systems thinking, process optimization, cross-functional collaboration with operations and commercial teams, and quantifiable achievements in improving customer journeys or operational efficiency.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 robust case studies that clearly demonstrate your end-to-end service design process, with a strong emphasis on connecting product, process, and people, and showcasing measurable operational impacts. Be prepared to discuss these in detail.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your experience and approach, focusing on how you use design thinking to solve complex business and operational challenges. Prepare specific examples for potential interview questions.

• Research Awin: Understand Awin's business, its industry, and its strategic goals. Familiarize yourself with their product offerings and customer base to tailor your understanding of their service ecosystem.

⚠️ 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.