Senior Service Designer - Hawthorn East

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer

Company: Coles Group

Location: Hawthorn East, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: Fixed Term (12 months)

Category: Digital Experience / Service Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-26

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end service design process, from strategic planning and research to the delivery of exceptional customer experiences across all touchpoints.

• Drive the creation of differentiated, omni-channel experiences that keep Coles at the cutting edge of digital retailing and customer engagement.

• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional partners across Digital, eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, and Merchandising to shape products and services.

• Utilize data-driven insights and research-led strategies to influence key business decisions and align stakeholders on unified, customer-centric approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on shaping customer experiences across a broad retail portfolio, requiring strong collaboration with diverse business units. The "Senior" title implies a need for leadership in methodology and mentorship, with a significant impact on customer-facing operations and digital strategy. The 12-month fixed-term nature suggests a project-driven focus or a need to backfill a critical role during a specific initiative.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and execute the complete service design lifecycle, including planning, conducting user research, developing journey maps, defining service blueprints, and overseeing implementation.

• Build and maintain a shared understanding of customer journeys, operational requirements, and critical service touchpoints across various business units.

• Partner effectively with stakeholders from Product, Engineering, Marketing, Operations, and external suppliers to ensure cohesive and customer-centric service delivery.

• Translate complex customer needs and business objectives into actionable design strategies and tangible service improvements.

• Facilitate engaging co-creation workshops and design thinking sessions to drive clarity, foster innovation, and achieve consensus on strategic initiatives.

• Influence product and service roadmaps by presenting compelling, research-backed insights and advocating for customer-centric solutions.

• Mentor and guide junior designers and non-designers in service design principles and methodologies, fostering a strong design culture within the organization.

• Champion the commercial value of design by identifying and solving meaningful problems that deliver tangible business outcomes and enhance customer loyalty.

• Conduct research activities that uncover deep, actionable insights into customer behaviour, pain points, and unmet needs.

• Simplify complex service ecosystems through the application of design thinking and service design frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize end-to-end ownership, cross-functional leadership, and strategic influence, typical of a senior-level role in a large retail organization. The focus on "digital retailing" and "omni-channel experiences" highlights the importance of integrating online and offline customer journeys.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Business, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in Service Design, UX Design, Design Research, or a related customer experience discipline.

• Proven track record of leading and delivering complex service design projects from concept to execution within a large organization, preferably in retail or a consumer-facing industry.

• Experience in designing and optimizing omni-channel customer journeys that seamlessly integrate digital and physical touchpoints.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative user research and translate findings into actionable design strategies. Required Skills:

• Service Design: Expertise in end-to-end service design methodologies, including journey mapping, service blueprinting, persona development, and user flow design.

• Design Research: Proficiency in various research methods (e.g., interviews, usability testing, surveys, ethnographic studies) and the ability to synthesize findings into actionable insights.

• Customer Journey Mapping: Ability to create detailed and insightful customer journey maps that identify pain points, opportunities, and key moments of truth.

• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, and influence stakeholders at all levels across diverse departments.

• Data-Driven Insights: Strong analytical skills to leverage data and research findings to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Facilitation & Co-creation: Proven experience in facilitating workshops, design sprints, and co-creation sessions with cross-functional teams.

• Design Thinking: Deep understanding and practical application of design thinking principles and frameworks.

• Mentoring: Experience in guiding and developing other designers and fostering design capabilities within teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with accessibility design principles and inclusive design practices to ensure services cater to a wide range of customers.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and experience working within cross-functional agile teams.

• Knowledge of retail operations, supply chain, and customer care processes.

• Experience in digital product development and understanding of UX/UI principles.

• Familiarity with design tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Miro, or similar.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are standard for a Senior Service Designer, with an emphasis on leadership, research, and stakeholder influence. The preferred skills highlight the specific context of Coles Group's operations and digital initiatives.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating your ownership of the service design process from initial problem definition through to delivered solution and impact.

• Process Visualization: Include visual artifacts such as service blueprints, customer journey maps, user flows, and personas that clearly illustrate your design methodologies and strategic thinking.

• Research & Insights: Demonstrate how you utilized research and data to identify customer needs and business opportunities, and how these insights informed your design decisions.

• Impact & Outcomes: Quantify the impact of your work by showcasing metrics related to customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, conversion rates, or other relevant business outcomes. Highlight how your designs contributed to commercial value.

• Collaboration Evidence: Provide examples of how you collaborated with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to achieve design goals and drive adoption.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly document the service design process employed in each portfolio piece, including the phases, methodologies, and tools used.

• Detail how you gathered requirements, identified pain points, prototyped solutions, and iterated based on feedback.

• Explain how you measured the success and impact of your service designs post-implementation, linking them back to strategic objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, showcasing not just design output but the strategic thinking, research rigor, and collaborative approach required for senior-level service design. The emphasis on quantifiable impact and end-to-end ownership is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Service Designer role in Melbourne, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is AUD $130,000 - $170,000. This range accounts for the seniority of the role, the complexity of the projects, and the significant impact on customer experience within a large retail organization like Coles Group. Actual compensation will be determined by the candidate's specific experience, skills, and qualifications. Benefits:

• Flexible working options: Encourages positive work-life balance with hybrid working arrangements.

• Office perks: Access to an on-site gym, fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, and a fooderie hub for product sampling.

• Employee Discounts: 5% year-round discount on Supermarket and Liquor purchases (online and in-store), with additional periods of double discount (10%) and exclusive "hot deals."

• Reward through recognition: 'mythanks' digital platform for accumulating points redeemable for gifts and gift cards, linked to Coles values.

• Learning and development opportunities: Access to career development programs and job-specific training.

• Paid parental leave: For permanent team members, supporting work-life balance.

• Investment in your future: Annual team member share plan for eligible employees to purchase Coles Group shares via salary sacrifice.

Working Hours:

• Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through hybrid working arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for senior UX/Service Design roles in major Australian cities. Coles Group's comprehensive benefits package is a significant draw, particularly the discounts and share plan, reflecting their commitment to employee well-being and financial investment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (Supermarkets, Liquor, Health & Beauty, Pet Products)

Company Size: Large enterprise (over 115,000 team members globally, top 30 ASX-listed company).

Founded: 1914. Coles Group has a long-standing history of serving Australian communities, evolving from a single store to a major diversified retailer. This history suggests a culture that values tradition alongside innovation.

Team Structure:

• Digital Team: This role sits within the Digital team, which is described as innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking, focused on building the next generation of digital retailing.

• Reporting Structure: Reports to the Service Design & Design Research Manager, indicating a structured approach to design leadership and strategy.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: A key aspect of the role involves close collaboration with numerous departments including eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, and Merchandising, highlighting a matrixed and highly collaborative work environment.

Methodology:

• Customer-Centricity: A core principle, emphasized by the aim to "help Australians eat and live better every day" and the focus on designing "customer-centric experiences."

• Data-Driven Insights: Decisions are influenced by data and research, ensuring strategic choices are grounded in evidence.

• Innovation & Future-Shaping: The Digital team is tasked with staying at the cutting edge and building the "next generation of digital retailing," indicating a forward-looking approach.

• Design Thinking & Service Design: These methodologies are central to the role and likely form the backbone of how the team approaches problem-solving and experience design.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Coles Group's scale and history provide a unique context. The operations are vast, impacting millions daily. The Digital team's mission is to enhance these operations through innovative digital experiences, requiring a service designer who can navigate complexity and drive change across a large, established organization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Service Designer. This level signifies a professional who not only executes design work but also leads strategic initiatives, mentors others, and influences business direction. The role is critical in shaping how customers interact with Coles across its diverse offerings.

Reporting Structure: Reports to the Service Design & Design Research Manager. This indicates a clear line of progression within the design function and access to experienced leadership for guidance and professional development. The role also involves significant peer and stakeholder interaction across various business units.

Operations Impact: The Service Designer has a direct impact on the customer experience, which is directly tied to revenue and brand loyalty. By improving service design across digital and physical touchpoints, the role influences customer acquisition, retention, and overall satisfaction, thereby driving key business metrics for Coles Group's extensive retail operations. The emphasis on essential services means the impact is also societal, affecting the daily lives of millions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, such as digital service innovation, omni-channel strategy, or accessibility design within the retail context.

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into a Service Design Lead or Managerial role, overseeing larger teams and more strategic portfolios.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge of various business functions within Coles (e.g., eCommerce, Fulfilment, Marketing) through close collaboration, potentially leading to roles in adjacent product or strategy areas.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to shaping the future of retail service design in Australia, a sector undergoing significant digital transformation.

• Learning & Development: Access to Coles Group's extensive learning programs, certifications, and opportunities to attend industry conferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The senior level suggests a significant opportunity for impact and growth. The role is positioned to influence strategic decisions that affect a large customer base and a complex operational ecosystem.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model. Employees are expected to work from the Hawthorn East office, but with flexibility for remote work. The office environment is designed to be collaborative and includes various amenities.

Office Location(s): Hawthorn East, Victoria, Australia. This location provides access to a range of amenities and is part of the broader Melbourne metropolitan area.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office is equipped with facilities like a BBQ area and fooderie hub, suggesting a culture that encourages informal interaction and team building.

• Operations Tools & Technology: While specific tools are listed in a separate section, the environment is expected to support the use of modern design and collaboration software.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model allows for focused individual work and in-person collaboration, with opportunities to engage with design peers and stakeholders across the business. The presence of an on-site gym, fitness classes, and a mini-Coles supermarket indicates a focus on employee well-being and convenience.

Work Schedule:

• The standard is 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility in how and where these hours are completed, balancing individual needs with team and business requirements. This flexibility is crucial for roles involving deep work, research, and iterative design processes typical of service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and on-site amenities suggest a company culture that values employee well-being and a balanced approach to work. The Hawthorn East office is likely a hub for innovation and collaboration within Coles Group's extensive operations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application and CV, focusing on relevant experience and alignment with the role's core responsibilities.

• Portfolio Presentation: You will likely be asked to present 1-2 key service design case studies from your portfolio to a panel, demonstrating your approach, methodology, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your role, the challenges, your solutions, and the outcomes.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with the Service Design & Design Research Manager, potentially other senior designers, and key cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., from Digital, Operations, or Marketing) to assess your collaboration style, strategic thinking, and ability to influence.

• Design Challenge (Potential): You might be given a brief to work on (either pre-interview or during a session) to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and design process in real-time.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a more senior leader within the Digital or Strategy teams to assess cultural fit and overall strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business value and customer benefits of your projects. Use quantifiable metrics wherever possible (e.g., increased conversion, reduced support calls, improved NPS).

• Showcase Your Process: For each case study, detail your methodology, research techniques, and the rationale behind your design decisions. Use visuals like journey maps, blueprints, and wireframes.

• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you partnered with cross-functional teams, managed stakeholder expectations, and navigated organizational complexities.

• Tailor to Coles: Research Coles Group's current initiatives, customer base, and brand values. Frame your examples to show how your skills and experience align with their specific needs and challenges in the retail space.

• Be Ready to Defend Decisions: Anticipate questions about your choices, trade-offs made, and how you handled feedback or conflicting requirements.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Retail Context: Familiarize yourself with common challenges in the retail sector, particularly in areas like omni-channel integration, customer loyalty, supply chain efficiency, and digital transformation.

• Practice Design Thinking: Be ready to apply design thinking principles to solve a hypothetical problem relevant to Coles' business. This might involve ideation, prototyping, and user testing.

• Articulate Your "Why": Be prepared to explain your motivations for applying to Coles and for this specific role, connecting it to your career aspirations and passion for service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not only design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and the ability to collaborate effectively within a large, complex organization like Coles. A well-curated portfolio that demonstrates tangible results and a clear process is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, XD), InVision.

• Collaboration & Ideation: Miro, Mural, Confluence, Jira.

• Research & Analysis: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Dovetail, Google Analytics, Hotjar, UserTesting.com.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Tableau, Power BI. Familiarity with retail-specific analytics platforms may be beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managed by the Service Designer, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms integrate with customer journeys and service touchpoints is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires proficiency in a standard suite of design and collaboration tools, with an emphasis on those that facilitate remote and cross-functional work. Familiarity with analytics tools is crucial for demonstrating data-driven decision-making and measuring the impact of service design initiatives.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of millions of Australian customers, ensuring they "eat and live better."

• Integrity: Upholding ethical standards and transparency in all business dealings and customer interactions.

• Respect: Fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all team members and customers, regardless of background.

• Collaboration: Working together across diverse teams and functions to achieve shared goals and drive collective success.

• Innovation: Continuously seeking new and better ways to serve customers and improve operations, staying at the cutting edge of retail.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of responsibilities and driving for results that create tangible value.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role necessitates seamless collaboration with teams like Digital, eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, and Customer Care. Success depends on building strong working relationships and fostering a shared understanding of customer needs.

• Process Review & Feedback: An environment that likely encourages constructive feedback and iterative refinement of processes and designs.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across teams to elevate the collective capability and drive continuous improvement in service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Coles Group's values are deeply embedded in their mission to serve Australian communities. For a Service Designer, this translates to a focus on empathy, data-driven improvements, and collaborative problem-solving to enhance the everyday lives of customers through better service experiences.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scale and Complexity: Designing services for a large, diversified retail organization with millions of customers and numerous touchpoints presents significant complexity. Navigating these complexities requires strategic thinking and robust process design.

• Legacy Systems & Processes: Integrating new service designs with existing, potentially legacy, systems and operational processes can be challenging. Overcoming these hurdles requires strong negotiation and influence skills.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Aligning the diverse needs and priorities of various departments (e.g., Operations, Marketing, IT, Finance) while maintaining a singular customer focus is a continuous challenge.

• Driving Change: Influencing established practices and driving adoption of new service designs across a large enterprise requires effective change management and communication strategies.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Immersion: Gain deep insights into the operational intricacies of a major retail business, from supply chain and fulfilment to customer care and merchandising.

• Digital Transformation Leadership: Contribute to and learn from Coles' ongoing digital transformation efforts, shaping the future of retail experiences.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and learn from experienced leaders within the Service Design and Digital teams.

• Industry Exposure: Engage with cutting-edge concepts in retail technology, customer experience, and service innovation through internal programs and potentially external conferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth by tackling complex challenges within a leading retail organization. The key is to leverage these challenges as opportunities for learning and demonstrating strategic impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end service design process for a complex customer journey. What were the key stages, your role, and the outcome?" (Focus on your process, methodology, and ability to deliver results).

• "How do you balance the needs of different stakeholders (e.g., Operations, Marketing, Customers) when designing a new service? Provide an example." (Highlight your collaboration, negotiation, and customer-centric advocacy skills).

• "Imagine Coles is looking to improve the online grocery ordering experience. What would be your first steps in designing a solution, and what data would you look for?" (Demonstrate your strategic thinking, research approach, and understanding of retail operations). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Coles Group and this specific role within our Digital team?" (Show you've researched the company and understand its mission and values).

• "How do you approach mentoring junior designers or colleagues unfamiliar with service design principles?" (Assess your leadership and knowledge-sharing capabilities).

• "How do you measure the success and impact of your service design work, and what KPIs are most important to you in a retail context?" (Focus on data-driven impact and commercial value). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as narratives, clearly outlining the problem, your approach, the solution, and the measurable impact.

• Visual Clarity: Use clean, professional visuals (journey maps, blueprints, wireframes) that are easy to understand. Ensure they highlight your design thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the value you delivered (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved customer satisfaction scores, reduced operational costs).

• Role Clarity: Clearly define your specific contributions within team projects. Be prepared to discuss trade-offs and challenges you encountered.

• Interactive Engagement: Ask clarifying questions and be prepared for in-depth discussion about your work. Treat it as a collaborative problem-solving session.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of service design principles, a proven ability to drive impact in a large organization, and strong collaboration skills. The portfolio is your primary tool for showcasing this expertise.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Service Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Coles Group Careers portal, ensuring your CV and any requested documents are uploaded.

• Tailor your CV: Highlight experience and skills most relevant to service design, customer journey mapping, stakeholder management, and working within large, cross-functional environments, using keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong case studies that showcase end-to-end service design projects, demonstrating research, strategy, execution, and measurable impact. Ensure visuals are clear and your role is well-defined.

• Practice your presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies to effectively communicate your process, rationale, and outcomes within a limited timeframe. Be ready to answer detailed questions.

• Research Coles Group: Understand their brands, recent news, digital initiatives, and company values to articulate your interest and align your experience with their strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.