Senior Service Designer

Humana
Full-time$95k-131k/year (USD)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer

Company: Humana

Location: Remote (IL CHI METRO)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Service Design / Customer Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-27

Experience Level: 5+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

  • Lead the strategic development and visioning of new service experiences within Humana's Insurance Product Experience team, focusing on end-to-end member journeys.

  • Drive concept initiatives from initial problem framing and user research through to prototyping, testing, and detailed implementation planning, ensuring alignment with business objectives and the company's experience vision.

  • Create tangible representations of complex service concepts through information design, service blueprints, and compelling storytelling to facilitate stakeholder understanding and decision-making.

  • Foster strong cross-functional partnerships with UX/UI designers, product teams, marketing, and operations to ensure seamless integration of digital tools and offline touchpoints, enhancing the overall member experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within Humana's Insurance Product Experience team, indicating a strong focus on operationalizing and improving the member journey within the healthcare insurance sector. The emphasis on "embedding with business stakeholders" and "looking across channels" suggests a need for strategic operational thinking and a holistic approach to process design and improvement, extending beyond pure UX/UI.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Service Strategy and Visioning: Spearhead the development of innovative service experiences by leading problem framing, conducting in-depth user research, performing rigorous analysis and synthesis, ideating concepts, prototyping solutions, testing viability, and planning for successful implementation.

  • Information Design, Prototyping, and Storytelling: Develop comprehensive service blueprints, create low- and mid-fidelity prototypes, design frameworks, and craft concept illustrations and narratives that effectively communicate complex service ideas to stakeholders, partners, and customers.

  • Cross-Functional Partnership and Collaboration: Actively collaborate with UX/UI designers, product management, marketing departments, and operations teams to ensure cohesive and integrated experiences across all digital tools and offline touchpoints, optimizing the member journey.

  • Emotional Intelligence and Curiosity: Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills by listening attentively, contributing thoughtfully, and facilitating productive conversations with business stakeholders and channel partners, thereby strengthening enterprise-wide collaboration and delivery capabilities.

  • Developing Craft and Operational Excellence: Contribute to the ongoing advancement of the service design discipline by actively engaging in learning activities, exploring new tools, and evolving practices to enhance the quality, efficiency, and impact of service design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design thinking and practical operational execution. "Implementation planning" and "collaboration with operations" suggest that this role will be deeply involved in how service designs are operationalized and integrated into existing business processes, requiring an understanding of operational constraints and opportunities.

✅ Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

  • Minimum of 5 years of relevant industry experience in service design, UX design, or a related customer experience role.

Required Skills:

  • Service Design Expertise: Demonstrated ability to lead the development of new service experiences, including problem framing, user research, analysis, synthesis, concept ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation planning.

  • Information Design & Prototyping: Proficient in creating service blueprints, journey maps, low- and mid-fidelity prototypes, frameworks, and concept illustrations.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong ability to partner effectively with UX/UI designers, product teams, marketing, and operations to ensure integrated experiences.

  • Design Tools Proficiency: Mastery of design tools such as Figma, Lucidchart/Miro, PowerPoint, and the Adobe Creative Suite.

  • Storytelling and Communication: Ability to craft visual stories and communicate complex concepts clearly to diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience within the healthcare or health insurance industry.

  • Deep understanding of human-centered design principles and methodologies.

  • Experience with qualitative and quantitative user research techniques.

  • Facilitation skills for workshops and stakeholder discussions.

  • Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio demonstrating specific skills like journey mapping, user research, prototyping, and information design is critical. Candidates should prepare to showcase their process and impact, particularly how their designs translate into actionable operational plans and improved member experiences.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 detailed projects demonstrating end-to-end service design process, from initial problem discovery and research to concept development, prototyping, testing, and implementation considerations.

  • Journey Mapping & Blueprinting: Include examples of detailed customer journey maps and service blueprints that illustrate complex member interactions and the underlying operational processes.

  • Prototyping & Storytelling: Present examples of low- and mid-fidelity prototypes, concept illustrations, and compelling narratives that effectively communicate design solutions and their intended impact.

  • Research & Synthesis: Demonstrate the ability to conduct user research, synthesize findings, and translate insights into actionable design recommendations and strategic solutions.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration Evidence: Highlight projects where collaboration with diverse teams (e.g., operations, product, marketing) was crucial for successful design and implementation.

Process Documentation:

  • Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase experience in documenting existing workflows and designing optimized future-state processes that align with service design principles.

  • System Integration Awareness: Provide examples that illustrate an understanding of how designed services integrate with existing digital tools, operational systems, and offline touchpoints.

  • Performance Measurement Concepts: Illustrate how designed services can be measured for success, including potential KPIs and metrics related to member satisfaction, operational efficiency, and business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Service Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It should not just showcase design artifacts but also the strategic thinking, research rigor, and operational awareness that went into developing them. Emphasis should be placed on how the designs address member needs while considering implementation feasibility and impact on business operations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $94,900 - $130,600 per year

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance plans.

  • 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company contributions.

  • Generous Paid Time Off (PTO), including company and personal holidays.

  • Volunteer Time Off (VTO) to support community engagement.

  • Paid Parental and Caregiver Leave to support family needs.

  • Short-term and Long-term Disability coverage.

  • Life Insurance coverage.

Working Hours:

  • Standard Full-Time, 40 hours per week.

  • Remote work requires a dedicated, interruption-free workspace to protect sensitive information (PHI/HIPAA).

  • Specific internet requirements apply (25 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload), with potential for company-provided payment in certain states.

  • Occasional travel to Humana offices may be required for training or meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is a competitive benchmark for a Senior Service Designer role in the U.S., considering the specified experience level and the healthcare industry. The benefits package is robust, indicating Humana's commitment to employee well-being, which is often a key consideration for operations professionals seeking long-term career stability.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare / Health Insurance

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Fortune 60 company with extensive operations). Humana is a significant player in the U.S. healthcare landscape, known for its innovation and focus on customer experience.

Founded: Humana has a history spanning over 50 years, establishing it as a seasoned and stable organization within the healthcare sector.

Team Structure:

  • Insurance Product Experience Team: This team operates with a mandate to think holistically about the member experience across healthcare and health insurance.

  • Embedded Stakeholder Model: The team embeds with business stakeholders, indicating a collaborative and integrated approach to driving change from within various business units.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close partnerships are expected with UX/UI designers, product teams, marketing, and operations, suggesting a matrixed or highly collaborative environment where service designers act as facilitators and integrators.

Methodology:

  • Human-Centered Design (HCD): The role is rooted in HCD principles, emphasizing understanding user needs as the foundation for service development.

  • Holistic Experience Focus: The team's objective is to look across all channels and touchpoints to define and improve the member journey.

  • Data-Driven Insights: While not explicitly detailed, the emphasis on research, analysis, and synthesis implies a data-informed approach to service design and operational improvements.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Humana's positioning as a Fortune 60 company in healthcare suggests a complex operational environment where service design plays a crucial role in simplifying member interactions and improving overall customer satisfaction within a highly regulated industry. The "Insurance Product Experience" team's focus implies a direct link between service design initiatives and operational improvements that impact member acquisition, retention, and satisfaction.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Service Designer. This level indicates a position requiring significant independent contribution, leadership in design initiatives, and the ability to mentor others. The role is expected to drive strategic vision and manage complex projects from start to finish.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, the role likely reports into a Design leadership role or a broader Customer Experience/Product team lead within the Insurance Product Experience division. Collaboration is emphasized across departments, suggesting a networked reporting structure for project work.

Operations Impact: The Senior Service Designer is expected to have a direct impact on Humana's ability to attract, retain, and satisfy members by improving the healthcare and health insurance experience. This involves translating member needs into actionable service designs that can be operationalized, leading to increased customer loyalty, reduced operational friction, and potentially improved health outcomes for members.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Leadership Development: Potential to lead larger, more strategic service design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and contribute to the evolution of design methodologies within Humana.

  • Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in healthcare service design, focusing on specific member segments or product lines.

  • Cross-Functional Advancement: The collaborative nature of the role can open doors to product management, UX leadership, or strategic operational roles within Humana.

  • Continuous Learning: Access to resources, workshops, and industry best practices to stay current with service design and HCD advancements, particularly within the healthcare sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies that candidates are expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and strategic foresight. Growth opportunities likely involve not just design craft but also influencing operational strategy and potentially leading teams or major strategic projects.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This role is designated as remote, offering flexibility in work location within specified U.S. regions.

Office Location(s): While remote, the role is linked to "Remote IL CHI METRO" and has derived locations including Illinois, New York, Kentucky, and West Virginia. This suggests that while the work is remote, there might be a primary operational hub or target market associated with these regions, and occasional travel to Humana offices may be required.

Workspace Context:

  • Home Office Requirements: Candidates must maintain a dedicated, quiet workspace free from interruptions to ensure the security and privacy of member data (PHI/HIPAA compliance).

  • Technology Infrastructure: Reliable internet service is mandatory, with specific minimum download and upload speeds. Humana provides telephone equipment.

  • Collaborative Tools: The role will heavily utilize digital collaboration tools (Figma, Miro, Lucidchart, etc.), facilitating virtual teamwork and communication.

Work Schedule:

  • Standard 40-hour work week.

  • Flexibility is inherent in a remote role, but adherence to core working hours for collaboration and team meetings will be expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a dedicated, interruption-free workspace and adherence to internet requirements underlines the operational diligence expected of remote employees, especially in a healthcare context where data privacy is paramount.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.

  • Portfolio Presentation: Expect to present 1-3 key projects from your portfolio, articulating your process, design decisions, research insights, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss how your designs informed or could inform operational changes.

  • Behavioral & Situational Interviews: Questions will assess your collaboration style, problem-solving approach, emotional intelligence, and ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments.

  • Case Study/Design Challenge: A potential exercise or discussion focused on a specific healthcare scenario to evaluate your service design thinking and ability to apply methodologies in a relevant context.

  • Final Interviews: Discussions with senior leadership to assess strategic fit and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Prioritize Impact: Showcase projects that demonstrate tangible improvements or potential for improvement in member experience and operational efficiency. Quantify results where possible.

  • Detail Your Process: Clearly articulate your approach, including research methods, synthesis techniques, ideation processes, prototyping tools used, and testing methodologies.

  • Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with cross-functional teams, including operations, product, and business stakeholders, to bring designs to life.

  • Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives with a clear beginning (problem), middle (solution development), and end (impact/implementation considerations).

  • Showcase Operational Awareness: Include examples or discussion points on how your designs were or could be integrated into operational workflows and systems.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Healthcare Context: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and opportunities in the healthcare and health insurance industry, particularly related to member experience and operational efficiency.

  • Service Design Frameworks: Be ready to discuss and apply various service design frameworks (e.g., Double Diamond, design thinking) and tools (service blueprints, journey maps).

  • Problem Framing: Practice articulating problems clearly and identifying root causes before jumping to solutions.

  • Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you've managed diverse stakeholder expectations and driven consensus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Senior Service Designer will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their ability to connect design thinking to operational realities. Applicants should be prepared to discuss not just the "what" and "how" of their designs, but also the "why" and the "so what" in terms of business and member impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Figma: For UI design, prototyping, and collaborative design work.

  • Lucidchart / Miro: For service blueprints, journey mapping, process flows, and collaborative ideation workshops.

  • PowerPoint / Google Slides: For creating presentations, storytelling, and communicating complex concepts to stakeholders.

  • Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Illustrator, Photoshop): For creating custom illustrations, visual assets, and refining design outputs.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

  • Understanding of how service designs interact with CRM systems and automation workflows is advantageous, particularly in how touchpoints are managed and customer journeys are automated.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in core design and collaboration tools is essential. The ability to use these tools to create tangible outputs like service blueprints and prototypes that can inform operational processes is key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Member-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and improving the member experience is paramount, driving all design and operational decisions.

  • Collaboration & Partnership: A strong emphasis on working effectively with diverse teams across the organization to achieve shared goals.

  • Curiosity & Continuous Learning: A drive to explore new ideas, challenge assumptions, and continuously develop skills and knowledge, especially within the evolving healthcare landscape.

  • Impact & Efficiency: A focus on delivering designs that have a measurable positive impact on members and the business, while also being mindful of operational efficiency and practicality.

  • Emotional Intelligence: The ability to empathize, listen, and communicate thoughtfully to build strong relationships and facilitate productive discussions.

Collaboration Style:

  • Facilitative Leadership: Guiding discussions and workshops to achieve outcomes, ensuring all voices are heard and valued.

  • Cross-Functional Integration: Working seamlessly with product managers, engineers, marketers, and operations teams to ensure designs are feasible, aligned, and effectively implemented.

  • Transparent Communication: Openly sharing insights, progress, and challenges with stakeholders to build trust and ensure alignment.

  • Iterative & Feedback-Driven: Embracing an iterative design process that incorporates feedback from users and stakeholders at various stages.

📝 Enhancement Note: Humana's culture, as reflected in this role, likely values a blend of empathy, strategic thinking, and a pragmatic approach to execution. For operations professionals, understanding how these values translate into daily work, decision-making, and team interactions is crucial.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Navigating Complex Healthcare Systems: Understanding and designing for the intricacies of the healthcare and health insurance industry, including regulatory complexities (HIPAA) and diverse member needs.

  • Operationalizing Designs: Translating innovative service designs into practical, scalable, and efficient operational processes within a large enterprise.

  • Cross-Functional Alignment: Gaining buy-in and ensuring seamless integration across multiple departments with potentially competing priorities.

  • Measuring Impact: Developing robust metrics and evaluation methods to demonstrate the value and ROI of service design initiatives within a complex operational context.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Deep Dive into Healthcare CX: Extensive exposure to and learning opportunities within the healthcare sector, a critical and dynamic industry.

  • Advanced Service Design Techniques: Opportunities to refine skills in areas like service blueprinting, journey mapping, and prototyping for complex service ecosystems.

  • Strategic Influence: Developing skills in influencing senior stakeholders and shaping organizational strategy through design-led insights.

  • Mentorship: Potential for mentorship from experienced design leaders and collaboration with subject matter experts across Humana's operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a significant opportunity to tackle complex operational challenges within the healthcare industry, demanding adaptability and strategic problem-solving. The growth potential lies in becoming a leader in healthcare service design and operational transformation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "Describe a time you led the development of a new service experience from concept to implementation planning. What was your process, and what were the key challenges?" (Focus on problem framing, research, synthesis, and integration with operations.)

  • "How do you ensure that service designs are not only user-centered but also operationally feasible and efficient within a large organization like Humana?" (Highlight your understanding of operational constraints and collaboration with operations teams.)

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "Based on your understanding of Humana and the healthcare industry, what do you see as the biggest opportunities for improving the member experience?" (Showcase your research and strategic thinking about the industry.)

  • "How do you foster collaboration and build consensus among diverse stakeholders, such as product, marketing, and operations?" (Provide specific examples of your collaboration style and techniques.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Select Relevant Projects: Choose 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your skills in service design, journey mapping, prototyping, research, and cross-functional collaboration, ideally with some relevance to complex service environments or healthcare.

  • Focus on Process and Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your methodology, your role, the solutions developed, and the tangible outcomes or potential impact. Emphasize how your design work informed or could inform operational improvements.

  • Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, research findings, stakeholder interactions, and how you navigated challenges.

  • Demonstrate Storytelling: Use your presentation to tell a compelling story about your approach and the value you bring, making complex initiatives understandable and engaging for the interview panel.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of the service design process, its application within a regulated industry like healthcare, and its direct connection to operational efficiency and member satisfaction.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Service Designer position:

  • Submit your application through the Humana External Career Site link provided.

  • Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful service design projects that clearly demonstrate your end-to-end process, research capabilities, prototyping skills, and ability to collaborate with operational teams. Ensure these showcase your experience with journey mapping and service blueprints.

  • Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords and responsibilities from the job description, such as "service strategy," "user research," "prototyping," "information design," "cross-functional collaboration," and specific tool proficiencies (Figma, Miro, Adobe Suite). Quantify achievements whenever possible.

  • Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your selected projects, focusing on the problem, your process, your role, the solutions, and the impact (both member experience and operational considerations). Be ready to discuss your rationale for design decisions and how they informed or could inform operational workflows.

  • Research Humana: Familiarize yourself with Humana's mission, values, recent initiatives, and their approach to customer experience within the healthcare industry. Understand their commitment to improving member journeys and operational efficiency.

⚠️ 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.


Application Requirements

Requires a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCD, or a related field and at least 5 years of relevant industry experience. Candidates must provide a portfolio demonstrating skills in journey mapping, research, and proficiency in tools like Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.