Senior Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer

Company: Scrumconnect Limited

Location: Remote (United Kingdom)

Job Type: Contract

Category: Service Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-21

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end service design for digital transformation initiatives within UK government departments, focusing on user needs and policy intent.

• Drive the service design process from discovery through alpha phases, ensuring evidence-based, user-centred solutions.

• Facilitate collaborative co-design workshops with diverse stakeholders, including users, policy teams, and technical experts.

• Produce high-quality service design artefacts such as service blueprints, user journey maps, and ecosystem maps.

• Mentor and develop junior designers, contributing to the overall design capability within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the GTM (Go-To-Market) Operations spectrum due to its focus on designing and optimizing end-to-end service delivery, which directly impacts how services are experienced and adopted by users. The emphasis on user-centred design, policy translation, and cross-functional collaboration aligns with operational efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. The SFIA Level 5 designation indicates a senior practitioner level, expected to advise and ensure quality.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive service design activities throughout the discovery phase, meticulously mapping end-to-end service journeys for building control authority teams and installers.

• Facilitate [SFIA 5.1] co-design workshops with a broad range of participants, including end-users, policy teams, and technical stakeholders, to collaboratively develop innovative service concepts.

• Produce a suite of high-quality service design artefacts, such as detailed service blueprints, comprehensive user journey maps, intricate ecosystem maps, and insightful experience maps.

• Collaborate closely with user researchers to ensure all service designs are rigorously grounded in empirical user evidence and have undergone thorough testing with real users.

• Define and articulate a clear, compelling 'to-be' service vision, actively identifying opportunities for significant improvement in the user experience of the SCS-N system.

• Skillfully translate complex policy and regulatory requirements into clear, actionable, and easily understandable service designs that are practical for implementation.

• Identify and meticulously document critical service-level pain points, inherent dependencies, and existing constraints that will inform and guide the design of the new system.

• Present service design outputs and recommendations to senior stakeholders at BSR and MHCLG, effectively advocating for user-centred design approaches and their strategic importance.

• Contribute actively to the Government Digital Service (GDS) service assessment process, ensuring all designs rigorously adhere to and meet the stringent requirements of the Service Standard.

• Mentor and provide guidance to junior designers within the team [SFIA 6.1], fostering their professional development and enhancing the team's overall design capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep engagement with the entire service design lifecycle, from initial discovery to influencing live service assessments. The mention of SFIA levels (5.1 and 6.1) indicates specific competency expectations related to influencing, advising, and mentoring, crucial for a senior operational role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in design, human-computer interaction, social sciences, or a related field is beneficial. Candidates are expected to demonstrate equivalent practical experience.

Experience: Significant experience as a Service Designer, with a substantial portion focused within the UK public sector or government digital delivery environments, is essential. This includes demonstrated success in managing and delivering complex, multi-channel services from inception to completion.

Required Skills:

• Significant experience as a Service Designer within UK public sector or government digital delivery contexts.

• A robust portfolio showcasing end-to-end service design capabilities across complex, multi-channel digital services.

• Proficiency in key service design tools, including Miro, FigJam, Figma, or equivalent platforms for collaborative design and prototyping.

• Proven experience in developing critical service design artefacts such as service blueprints, ecosystem maps, user journey maps, and detailed interaction models.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively facilitate co-design workshops with a diverse range of stakeholders, ensuring inclusive participation and actionable outcomes.

• A strong, practical understanding of the Government Digital Service (GDS) Service Standard and its specific expectations for the design phase.

• Experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary Agile teams, alongside user researchers, product managers, and engineers.

• Demonstrated competencies aligned with SFIA Level 5 as defined in the SFIA framework, particularly in areas of assurance and advising. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience designing services within regulatory, local government, or building control specific contexts.

• Knowledge of current accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2) and a commitment to inclusive design principles.

• Experience participating in and supporting GDS service assessments at alpha, beta, and live stages.

• A solid understanding of policy design principles and the intricate relationship between policy intent and effective service delivery mechanisms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on UK public sector experience and GDS Service Standard familiarity is critical. The SFIA Level 5 requirement points towards a role that involves strategic influence and advisory capacity, beyond just execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio that clearly demonstrates end-to-end service design capabilities across complex, multi-channel services, highlighting the impact of your work.

• Case studies that showcase your ability to translate user research and policy intent into tangible service designs, detailing the process from discovery to an implemented or tested solution.

• Evidence of your proficiency in utilizing service design tools such as Miro, FigJam, and Figma for creating service blueprints, user journey maps, ecosystem maps, and experience maps.

• Examples of how you have facilitated co-design workshops and collaborated with multidisciplinary teams, including business analysts, user researchers, product managers, and technical architects.

• Documentation illustrating your understanding and application of the GDS Service Standard and its associated design phase expectations. Process Documentation:

• Detailed documentation of your service design process, emphasizing workflow design and optimization phases, including how you identify and address pain points.

• Examples of your methods for implementing and automating service design improvements, with a focus on creating efficient and user-friendly services.

• Evidence of how you measure and analyze the performance of designed services, using data to inform iterative improvements and demonstrate impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are highly specific to service design and government digital standards, emphasizing practical application, tool proficiency, and adherence to GDS guidelines. This suggests a need for candidates to showcase their process and outcomes rigorously.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Service Designers with SFIA Level 5 competencies in the UK public sector, particularly for contract roles, the estimated daily rate is between £350 - £400 GBP. This range reflects the seniority, specialized skills (e.g., GDS experience), and the contract nature of the engagement.

Benefits:

As a contract role, standard employee benefits may not apply directly. However, typical benefits for contractors in this sector often include:

• Competitive daily rate as outlined above.

• Opportunity to work on high-impact projects for UK government departments, influencing public services.

• Remote working flexibility, enabling a better work-life balance.

• Potential for contract extensions based on performance and project needs.

• Exposure to cutting-edge digital transformation initiatives and agile methodologies.

• Professional development opportunities through project involvement and potential for further GDS-related work. Working Hours:

The standard working hours for this role are approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is remote, maintaining consistent engagement and availability during core UK working hours is expected to facilitate collaboration with various stakeholders and teams. Flexibility may be offered based on project demands and team agreements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on typical contract rates for senior digital roles in the UK public sector, factoring in GDS experience and SFIA Level 5. Benefits are framed within the context of a contractor role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Consultancy, Government & Public Sector Technology Solutions. Scrumconnect Limited is recognized for delivering impactful and innovative technology solutions specifically for UK government departments, with a strong emphasis on user-centred design and agile delivery.

Company Size: Scrumconnect Limited is a medium-sized enterprise, likely employing between 50-250 individuals, based on typical digital consultancy profiles in the UK. This size often allows for a blend of structured processes and agile team dynamics.

Founded: Founded in 2012, Scrumconnect Consulting has a decade of experience in digital transformation, building a strong reputation for quality and impact, evidenced by multiple awards. This history suggests a stable yet forward-thinking organization.

Team Structure:

• The Service Design team is likely integrated within larger project teams, comprising specialists in user research, business analysis, product management, and engineering.

• Reporting structure will typically be functional within project teams, with potential for oversight from a Head of Design or Lead Service Designer, and alignment with project leads and government stakeholders.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, with Service Designers expected to work closely with all disciplines to ensure a cohesive and effective service. Methodology:

• Data analysis and insights methods are central, heavily reliant on user research findings and evidence to drive design decisions.

• Workflow planning and optimization strategies are key, focusing on mapping existing processes and designing future-state services for efficiency and user satisfaction.

• Automation and efficiency practices are implicitly encouraged through the design of scalable and user-friendly digital services.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on UK government digital services and its award-winning status suggest a commitment to high standards and impactful work. The "multi-award-winning" status implies a culture that values excellence and innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a Senior practitioner level within the Service Design discipline, operating at SFIA Level 5. It involves significant autonomy, advisory responsibilities, and the ability to influence strategic design direction for complex digital services. The focus is on ensuring high-quality, user-centred service delivery that meets both user needs and government policy objectives.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Service Designer will likely report to a Project Manager or a Lead within the Scrumconnect Consulting team, while collaborating closely with senior stakeholders within the client government departments (e.g., BSR and MHCLG). Direct mentorship of junior designers is also a key component.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is substantial, directly influencing the design of services that affect millions of UK citizens. By ensuring services are user-centred, accessible, and efficient, the Senior Service Designer contributes to improved public service delivery, policy adherence, and potentially significant cost savings through optimized processes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Service Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like accessibility, policy design, or complex GDS assessments, potentially leading to Principal Service Designer roles.

• Leadership Development: Transition into team leadership, managing design functions for multiple projects or a dedicated design practice within Scrumconnect.

• Cross-Disciplinary Expertise: Broaden understanding of Agile delivery, product management, and technical architecture to offer more holistic service solutions.

• Government Digital Expertise: Become a recognized expert in GDS standards and processes, increasing demand for your skills within the public sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The SFIA Level 5 designation and the emphasis on mentorship and influencing senior stakeholders clearly position this as a leadership-track role within the service design domain, with direct implications for operational service delivery excellence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the role is advertised as remote, Scrumconnect Limited operates as a digital consultancy, likely with a central office for core operations and client meetings. However, for this specific contract, the work is fully remote, with potential for occasional client-site visits if required by project needs (though not explicitly stated).

Office Location(s): While the company is UK-based and likely has a physical presence, the "Remote OK" and "United Kingdom" derived remote location suggest that candidates can be based anywhere within the UK.

Workspace Context:

• The remote work environment necessitates strong self-discipline, effective time management, and proactive communication.

• Access to digital collaboration tools (Miro, FigJam, Figma) is paramount, facilitating virtual co-design sessions and artifact sharing.

• Opportunities for interaction with the wider Scrumconnect design community, even remotely, may exist through virtual team meetings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and internal forums.

• The primary focus will be on delivering high-quality design outputs within a virtual, collaborative setting, interacting with multidisciplinary teams and government stakeholders.

Work Schedule: The standard 40-hour work week is expected. While remote, candidates will need to be available and responsive during typical UK business hours to ensure seamless collaboration with project teams, user researchers, and government stakeholders. Flexibility might be possible, but core availability is key for effective service design delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role, combined with the nature of digital consultancy and government projects, implies a need for highly organized and communicative individuals adept at virtual collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess suitability against the essential skills and experience, particularly UK public sector and GDS experience.

• Technical Interview: Likely to involve a deep dive into your portfolio, discussing specific case studies, your approach to service design challenges, and your experience with tools like Miro and Figma. Expect questions on your understanding of the GDS Service Standard.

• Workshop/Exercise: A practical exercise, potentially a short, timed design challenge or a facilitated co-design simulation, to assess your facilitation skills, design thinking, and ability to work under pressure.

• Stakeholder/Team Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential team members and senior stakeholders to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and your ability to influence. Questions will focus on your experience mentoring and advising.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior management to confirm suitability, discuss contract terms, and finalize the offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Clearly articulate the problem, your process, the solutions you designed, and the measurable impact or outcomes achieved. Quantify results where possible.

• Highlight GDS Alignment: Explicitly demonstrate how your work adheres to the GDS Service Standard, especially the design phase requirements.

• Process Over Tools: While tool proficiency is important, focus on how you used the tools to achieve design outcomes and solve problems.

• User-Centricity: Ensure your portfolio consistently emphasizes your user-centred approach and how user research informed your design decisions.

• Complexity Management: Present examples of complex, multi-channel services to demonstrate your ability to handle intricate design challenges.

• Collaboration Evidence: Include examples of how you collaborated with multidisciplinary teams and facilitated workshops.

Challenge Preparation:

• GDS Service Standard: Thoroughly review the GDS Service Standard, focusing on the criteria for the discovery and design phases.

• Service Design Frameworks: Be prepared to discuss and apply various service design methodologies and frameworks.

• Facilitation Skills: Practice facilitating virtual workshops, managing diverse perspectives, and driving towards actionable outcomes.

• Problem-Solving: Anticipate common challenges in government digital services (e.g., legacy systems, complex policy, diverse user needs) and prepare your approach to solving them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and practical exercises suggests that Scrumconnect places high value on demonstrable skills and process, particularly concerning GDS standards and user-centred design in a government context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Miro / FigJam: Essential for collaborative whiteboarding, ideation, journey mapping, and service blueprinting in a remote setting. Proficiency in using these tools for complex design facilitation is expected.

• Figma: A key tool for creating wireframes, prototypes, and detailed UI designs. Experience in collaborative Figma workflows and design system integration is likely beneficial.

• Other Prototyping/Design Tools: Familiarity with equivalents like Sketch, Adobe XD, or InVision may also be valuable.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated as a primary responsibility for the Service Designer, an understanding of how analytics inform user behaviour and service performance is crucial. Familiarity with tools that provide user insights (e.g., Google Analytics, Hotjar, or specific government data platforms) would be an asset. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the core service design function, but an awareness of how services integrate with backend systems (which may include CRM or automation platforms) is useful for understanding technical constraints and opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Miro, FigJam, and Figma highlights the tools most critical for this role, emphasizing collaborative and digital design capabilities in a remote context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental value, ensuring all design decisions are driven by user needs and evidence, leading to services that are effective and accessible for all citizens.

• Impact-Driven: A focus on delivering tangible, positive outcomes for UK citizens and government departments, measured through successful service delivery and user satisfaction.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working in multidisciplinary teams, fostering an environment of shared ownership and collective problem-solving.

• Agile & Iterative: Embracing agile methodologies to deliver incrementally, learn quickly, and adapt designs based on feedback and evolving requirements.

• Excellence & Innovation: A commitment to high standards, as evidenced by multiple awards, encouraging innovative approaches to digital service design.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Service Designers are expected to be integral members of multidisciplinary teams, working hand-in-hand with researchers, developers, product owners, and policy experts.

• Evidence-Based Decision Making: A culture that values data, user research, and evidence to support design choices, encouraging constructive debate and consensus building.

• Open Communication: Fostering an environment where ideas can be shared freely, feedback is given constructively, and challenges are addressed transparently.

• Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing: A culture where senior members actively mentor junior colleagues and knowledge is shared across teams to build collective capability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values align strongly with the principles of the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the ethos of modern digital consultancies focused on public impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complex Policy & Regulatory Environments: Translating intricate and sometimes conflicting government policies into user-friendly digital services requires significant analytical and communication skills.

• Legacy Systems & Technical Constraints: Working within existing IT infrastructures can present limitations that need creative design solutions.

• Diverse User Needs: Designing for a broad spectrum of users, including those with accessibility requirements or lower digital literacy, demands inclusive design thinking.

• Stakeholder Management: Balancing the needs and expectations of various stakeholders, from end-users to senior government officials, can be demanding.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion and design quality in a fully remote setting requires proactive effort and effective use of digital tools.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• GDS Service Standard Expertise: Deepen knowledge and practical application of GDS standards, potentially leading to roles as a GDS assessor or consultant.

• Specialized Design Skills: Develop expertise in areas like ethical design, service design for complex systems, or specific accessibility standards.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Gain experience in leading design initiatives and formally mentoring junior designers, preparing for future leadership roles.

• Public Sector Digital Transformation: Broaden understanding of how digital services are transforming UK government, offering insights into future project opportunities.

• Contracting Career Development: Gain valuable experience in the UK public sector contracting market, building a network and a strong professional reputation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for government digital projects, emphasizing the need for resilience, adaptability, and strong problem-solving skills. Growth opportunities are geared towards deepening expertise and leadership within the public sector digital space.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex government service you designed. What were the key policy intents, user needs, and technical constraints? How did your service design address them, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating your end-to-end process, stakeholder management, and impact).

• "How do you ensure your service designs meet the GDS Service Standard, particularly during the discovery and alpha phases? Walk us through an example." (Highlight your understanding of GDS criteria and how you operationalize them).

• "Imagine you need to facilitate a co-design workshop with policy makers, technical architects, and end-users who have conflicting priorities. How would you approach this to ensure an inclusive and productive session?" (Showcase your facilitation, negotiation, and empathy skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Scrumconnect Limited and our work with UK government departments? What interests you about this specific role?" (Research the company's projects and values; connect your aspirations to their mission).

• "How do you approach mentoring junior designers, and what do you believe are the key behaviours for a Senior Service Designer operating at SFIA Level 5?" (Prepare examples of your mentorship experience and articulate your understanding of senior-level responsibilities).

• "How would you measure the success of a service you designed, and how do you communicate that success to senior stakeholders?" (Focus on metrics, user feedback, and clear, concise reporting). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process you followed, the solutions you created (with visuals), and the results/impact.

• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs (e.g., improved completion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction scores).

• Highlight GDS Compliance: Explicitly call out how your work aligns with specific GDS Service Standard criteria.

• Showcase Collaboration: Include examples of how you worked with multidisciplinary teams and facilitated workshops, perhaps with anonymized outputs.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, trade-offs made, and how you handled challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus heavily on GDS standards, practical application of service design principles, and demonstrating senior-level advisory and mentoring capabilities, all supported by a strong portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Service Designer contract position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Zoho Recruit.

• Customize Your CV: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in UK public sector digital delivery, specifically mentioning projects relevant to government services, and clearly stating your SFIA Level 5 competencies.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best demonstrate end-to-end service design, GDS Service Standard adherence, and impact within complex environments. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., a dedicated website or PDF).

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on your process, decision-making, collaboration, and quantifiable outcomes. Be ready to discuss your approach to the GDS Service Standard and user-centric design.

• Research Scrumconnect: Understand their mission, recent projects, and values to articulate your fit and enthusiasm during the interview process. Focus on their government sector work.

⚠️ 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.