Senior Service Designer - Hawthorn East

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer

Company: Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty - 1061

Location: Hawthorn East, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: Fixed Term (12-month opportunity)

Category: Service Design / UX / Customer Experience

Date Posted: 2026-06-12

Experience Level: Senior (Implied 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end Service Design process, from strategic planning and research to implementation and delivery of customer experiences across all touchpoints.

• Develop a deep understanding of how services are created, delivered, and experienced by Coles Group customers, impacting millions of Australians daily.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration with Digital, eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, Merchandising, and external suppliers to shape company products and services.

• Utilize data-driven insights and research-led strategies to influence key decisions and foster a unified, customer-centric approach across the enterprise.

• Mentor junior designers and contribute to building a strong, collaborative design culture throughout the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Service Designer, indicating a need for significant experience in leading complex design initiatives, influencing stakeholders at various levels, and potentially mentoring junior team members. The emphasis on "enterprise-wide" and "future-shaping" projects suggests a strategic impact beyond immediate digital initiatives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and execute the complete Service Design lifecycle, encompassing planning, user research, experience definition, prototyping, and guiding successful delivery.

• Map and articulate customer journeys, operational requirements, and crucial service touchpoints to build a shared understanding across diverse teams.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineering leads, marketing teams, and operational stakeholders to ensure seamless, customer-centric experiences.

• Leverage qualitative and quantitative data, alongside user research findings, to inform design decisions and champion research-led strategic planning.

• Facilitate engaging co-creation workshops and design thinking sessions to drive alignment, generate innovative solutions, and ensure actionable outcomes.

• Mentor and guide fellow designers, fostering best practices in service design and contributing to the overall growth of the design community within Coles.

• Champion the integration of service design principles into product development and business strategy, ensuring a holistic customer perspective.

• Identify opportunities for service innovation and operational efficiency improvements through design interventions.

• Develop and maintain service blueprints, user journey maps, and other design artifacts to communicate complex service ecosystems.

• Advocate for the customer, ensuring their needs and pain points are central to all service design considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design execution, and strong stakeholder management. The emphasis on "enterprise-wide" impact and "future-shaping projects" suggests the need for a candidate who can navigate complex organizational structures and drive transformative change.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

• Proven track record in leading end-to-end service design projects within complex organizations, preferably in retail or a related consumer-facing industry.

• Demonstrated experience in applying design thinking methodologies to solve business challenges and improve customer experiences. Required Skills:

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

• Design Research: Proficiency in planning and conducting qualitative and quantitative user research, synthesizing insights, and translating them into actionable design strategies.

• Customer Journey Mapping: Ability to create comprehensive customer journey maps that identify pain points, opportunities, and key touchpoints across various channels.

• Experience Design (XD): Strong understanding of user experience principles and the ability to design intuitive and engaging service interactions.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent ability to build relationships, influence decisions, and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders across different departments and levels.

• Data-Driven Insights: Capability to utilize data analytics and research findings to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Co-creation Workshops: Skilled in facilitating workshops that foster collaboration, ideation, and consensus-building among cross-functional teams.

• Mentoring: Experience in guiding and developing other designers, sharing knowledge, and fostering a positive design culture.

• Design Thinking: Deep understanding and practical application of design thinking principles for problem-solving and innovation.

• Omni-channel Experience Design: Ability to design cohesive and consistent experiences across various digital and physical channels.

• Strategic Planning: Capacity to contribute to and influence strategic roadmaps based on customer insights and design expertise.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with product, engineering, marketing, operations, and customer care teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

• Understanding of retail operations and customer service environments.

• Experience in large-scale enterprise transformations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a requirement for leadership experience, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence at a higher organizational level, beyond just executing design tasks. The emphasis on mentoring suggests a desire for someone who can elevate the design capabilities of the team.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating your ownership of the full service design process, from initial problem definition and research to design, delivery, and impact measurement.

• Customer Journey & Blueprint Examples: Include clear examples of customer journey maps, service blueprints, or similar artifacts that illustrate your ability to map complex service ecosystems and identify key interactions.

• Research Synthesis & Insights: Provide evidence of your research capabilities, including how you synthesized findings and translated them into actionable design recommendations. Highlight the impact of these insights.

• Co-creation & Workshop Facilitation: Demonstrate your facilitation skills through examples of workshops you've led, outlining the objectives, participant mix, and outcomes achieved.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Illustrate how you've worked with diverse teams (product, engineering, operations, marketing) to bring service designs to life, showcasing your ability to navigate different perspectives.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your service design work wherever possible, using metrics related to customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, adoption rates, or business outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Present examples of how you've designed or optimized service workflows to improve efficiency, reduce friction, and enhance the customer experience.

• Implementation & Automation: Showcase instances where your service designs have led to the implementation of new services or the automation of processes, detailing the approach and challenges overcome.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Detail how you've established metrics and analyzed the performance of designed services post-implementation to identify areas for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Service Designer role, the portfolio should not just showcase deliverables but also the strategic thinking, leadership, and collaborative processes behind them. Emphasis should be placed on the candidate's ability to drive impact and manage complex stakeholder relationships.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Service Designers in Melbourne, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience, a typical salary range would be AUD $130,000 - $170,000 per annum. This estimate accounts for the senior level, the specialized nature of service design, and the cost of living in Melbourne. Benefits:

• Flexible working options: Hybrid working model to promote work-life balance.

• On-site Perks: Access to a gym facility, fitness classes, free parking, BBQ area, mini-Coles supermarket, and a fooderie hub for product sampling.

• Employee Discounts: 5% discount on Coles Supermarket and Liquor purchases (online and in-store), with additional double discount periods throughout the year, plus exclusive hot deals.

• Reward & Recognition: Utilize the digital recognition platform ‘mythanks’ for peer and manager recognition, accumulating points for gifts and gift cards.

• Learning & Development: Opportunities for career development programs, job-specific training, and continuous skill enhancement.

• Paid Parental Leave: Support for permanent team members balancing work and family life.

• Investment in Future: Eligibility for the annual team member share plan to purchase Coles Group shares via pre-tax salary sacrifice.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with a hybrid arrangement allowing for flexibility between office and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary ranges are estimates based on general market data for similar roles in the specified location and experience level. Actual compensation may vary. The provided benefits are comprehensive and align with typical offerings for large corporations in Australia.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (Supermarkets, Liquor, Pet Products, Health & Beauty). Coles is a major player in the Australian retail landscape, operating a diverse portfolio of brands and services.

Company Size: Large (Over 115,000 team members across Australia). This implies a complex organizational structure with numerous departments and extensive customer reach.

Founded: 1914. With over a century of history, Coles has a deep-rooted presence and a strong understanding of the Australian market, now focused on evolving for the future.

Team Structure:

• The Digital team is described as innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking, focused on creating differentiated, omni-channel experiences.

• The Service Design role reports to the Service Design & Design Research Manager, indicating a dedicated function for these disciplines.

• This role will collaborate extensively across various departments including eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, Merchandising, and external suppliers, highlighting a matrixed and collaborative environment. Methodology:

• The Digital team aims to build the "next generation of digital retailing," suggesting a focus on innovation and leveraging technology.

• The Service Design approach emphasizes understanding customer journeys, operational needs, and service touchpoints to create unified, customer-centric experiences.

• Data-driven insights and research-led strategies are key to influencing decisions and shaping products and services.

• Co-creation workshops are utilized to drive clarity and action.

Company Website: https://colescareers.com.au/au/en

📝 Enhancement Note: Coles' long history, combined with its focus on digital transformation, suggests a culture that values both tradition and innovation. The emphasis on serving millions of Australians daily underscores the scale and impact of roles within the company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Service Designer. This role is positioned at a senior individual contributor level, responsible for leading significant design initiatives, influencing strategy, and potentially mentoring others. It represents a key role within the design and digital transformation efforts of the company.

Reporting Structure:

• Reports directly to the Service Design & Design Research Manager.

• Works collaboratively with numerous cross-functional teams and stakeholders across different business units. Operations Impact:

• The role has a direct impact on how millions of Australians experience Coles' diverse offerings, from groceries to liquor and pet products.

• By shaping products and services, the Senior Service Designer contributes significantly to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and the company's competitive edge in an evolving retail landscape.

• The emphasis on omni-channel experiences means the role is critical in bridging the gap between digital and physical retail, driving seamless customer journeys. Growth Opportunities:

• Service Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced service design methodologies, leading larger and more complex strategic projects.

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into a Service Design Lead or Managerial role, overseeing a team and setting design direction.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gain broader business acumen by working across various departments like eCommerce, Operations, and Marketing, potentially leading to roles in product management or business strategy.

• Mentorship & Community Building: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers and actively contributing to the growth of the design community within Coles.

• Industry Exposure: Work on projects that shape the future of retail in Australia, offering significant professional development and impactful experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant opportunities for growth within a large, established organization undergoing digital transformation. The combination of strategic impact, cross-functional exposure, and potential leadership development makes it an attractive position for experienced designers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The Hawthorn East location is a corporate office environment, evidenced by the mention of office perks like a gym, fitness classes, and a mini-Coles supermarket. It's designed to support hybrid work.

Office Location(s): Hawthorn East, Victoria, Australia. This is a suburban location with good access and amenities for employees.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role necessitates close collaboration with various teams, suggesting an office space designed to facilitate team interaction, workshops, and brainstorming sessions.

• Tools & Technology: Access to necessary design software, collaboration tools, and office infrastructure to support hybrid work and project execution.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to engage with design peers, cross-functional partners, and leadership within the Digital team and across the broader organization.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time work schedule (approx. 40 hours/week).

• Hybrid working options are available, balancing in-office collaboration with remote flexibility. This allows for focused work and personal life integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model and the extensive office perks suggest a company that prioritizes employee well-being and a positive work environment, while still emphasizing the importance of in-person collaboration for design and strategic initiatives.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will review applications and conduct an initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the Service Design & Design Research Manager to delve into your experience, approach to service design, and understanding of the role's strategic objectives.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present selected case studies from your portfolio, demonstrating your end-to-end service design process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Expect questions on your decision-making, collaboration, and how you handle ambiguity.

• Cross-functional Panel Interview: You may meet with key stakeholders from other departments (e.g., Product, Operations, Marketing) to assess your ability to collaborate, communicate complex ideas, and align diverse needs.

• Final Interview/Offer: Potentially a final conversation with senior leadership and the extended offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 compelling case studies that best showcase your end-to-end service design capabilities, focusing on projects with significant impact and complexity.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative: the problem, your role and approach, the process (research, ideation, design), the solutions, and the measurable outcomes/impact.

• Highlight Collaboration: Explicitly describe your interactions with stakeholders, how you managed differing opinions, and how cross-functional input shaped the final design.

• Showcase Research & Insights: Detail your research methodologies and clearly articulate the insights gained, explaining how they directly informed your design decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved customer satisfaction scores, reduced operational costs, increased conversion rates).

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design rationale, how you handle trade-offs, challenges faced, and how you measure success.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: You might be given a hypothetical service design problem relevant to Coles to work on, either in real-time or as a take-home assignment. Focus on clearly defining the problem, outlining your research approach, ideating solutions, and presenting a coherent strategy.

• Process Thinking: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a complex operational or customer experience challenge within the retail context. Articulate your methodology and how you would gain buy-in.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Prepare examples of how you've aligned diverse stakeholder needs and influenced roadmaps through design thinking and data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge indicates that practical application and demonstrable process are highly valued. Candidates should prepare to articulate their 'how' and 'why' behind their design decisions and their ability to drive tangible results.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (for wireframing, prototyping, and collaborative design).

• Journey Mapping & Ideation: Miro, Mural (for collaborative whiteboarding, journey mapping, co-creation workshops, and ideation).

• Design Research Tools: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Dovetail (for remote usability testing, session recordings, and research synthesis).

• Presentation Software: PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote (for presenting findings, strategies, and designs to stakeholders).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (to understand user behavior on digital platforms).

• BI & Dashboard Tools: Tableau, Power BI (for visualizing data, tracking KPIs, and reporting on service performance).

• Customer Feedback Platforms: SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics (for gathering and analyzing customer feedback).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Salesforce (likely used by various departments for customer data management).

• Marketing Automation: Adobe Marketing Cloud, Marketo (for customer engagement strategies).

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello (for managing design projects and workflows).

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, the role's nature implies proficiency in industry-standard design and collaboration platforms. Familiarity with tools used for customer data analysis and project management would also be beneficial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A core value, emphasizing the importance of understanding and serving the needs of millions of Australian customers.

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Encouraged within the Digital team to build the "next generation of digital retailing."

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Essential for success, given the cross-functional nature of projects and the need to align diverse stakeholders.

• Empathy & Inclusivity: Highlighted in the "About you" section, stressing understanding human behavior and creating welcoming experiences.

• Growth Mindset: A key attribute sought in candidates, indicating a culture that supports continuous learning and development.

• Commercial Awareness: Understanding the "commercial value of design" and solving meaningful problems that create real value for the business.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role is designed to foster deep collaboration with teams across Digital, eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, Merchandising, and external suppliers.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: A collaborative approach that leverages data and research to guide strategy and design choices.

• Co-creation: Actively involves stakeholders in workshops to build shared understanding and drive consensus on solutions.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Encourages peer-to-peer learning and the development of design capabilities across the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: Coles appears to foster a culture that balances its long-standing presence with a drive for innovation, underpinned by strong values of customer focus, empathy, and collaboration. The emphasis on a growth mindset is a positive indicator for continuous improvement and professional development.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Enterprise Complexity: Working within a large, established organization requires skill in managing diverse stakeholder needs, overcoming internal resistance, and integrating new designs into existing systems and processes.

• Balancing Customer Needs vs. Business Objectives: Finding the optimal solutions that delight customers while also meeting commercial goals and operational constraints.

• Driving Change: Influencing stakeholders and teams to adopt new service models or customer-centric approaches, especially in a large organization with established ways of working.

• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the value and ROI of service design initiatives, particularly for qualitative improvements or long-term strategic plays.

• Rapidly Evolving Retail Landscape: Keeping pace with digital advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and competitive pressures in the fast-moving retail sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Service Design: Potential to lead larger, more strategic projects and explore specialized areas within service design.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain deep insights into various business functions (e.g., Operations, Fulfilment, Marketing), broadening your understanding of the retail ecosystem.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and develop leadership skills by guiding projects and influencing teams.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute directly to shaping the future of digital retailing and customer experience at a major Australian company.

• Industry Trends: Stay at the forefront of retail innovation, omni-channel strategies, and digital transformation best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in large organizations undergoing transformation. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a clear path for career advancement and skill development within the operations and digital strategy domains.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex service design challenge you led from conception to implementation. What were the key stages, your role, and the measurable outcomes?" (Focus on end-to-end ownership, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you build consensus among diverse stakeholders with competing priorities? Provide an example of a time you successfully influenced a key decision." (Highlight stakeholder management, communication, and influence skills.)

• "Walk us through how you would approach designing a seamless omni-channel experience for [a relevant Coles service, e.g., online grocery click-and-collect]." (Demonstrate your process, research methods, and consideration of touchpoints.)

• "How do you balance user needs with business constraints and operational realities in your design process?" (Showcase your pragmatic approach and understanding of commercial value.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Coles and our mission to help Australians eat and live better?" (Research Coles' values, recent initiatives, and market position.)

• "How do you contribute to fostering a positive and inclusive design culture within a team?" (Align with the emphasis on mentorship and collaboration.)

• "Describe a time you had to adapt your design approach due to ambiguity or changing project requirements." (Highlight your flexibility and resilience.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in service design, retail, and digital technology?" (Show your commitment to continuous learning.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Process, Not Just Pixels: Clearly articulate the 'why' and 'how' behind your design decisions, emphasizing your research, ideation, and collaboration.

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, present clear metrics demonstrating the success of your work (e.g., increased engagement, improved efficiency, higher satisfaction).

• Narrative Flow: Structure your presentation like a story – problem, role, process, solution, outcome. Ensure a clear beginning, middle, and end for each case.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Be prepared to discuss how you identified, engaged, and managed relationships with various stakeholders throughout your projects.

• Showcase Facilitation: If possible, include examples or discuss your experience in leading workshops and co-creation sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and the ability to drive impact within a large, complex organization. The portfolio is a critical tool for showcasing this.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Coles careers site.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in end-to-end service design, customer journey mapping, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description such as "Service Design," "Design Research," "Omni-channel," and "Customer-centric."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest service design case studies that demonstrate your process, impact, and collaborative approach. Ensure they are well-documented and ready for presentation.

• Prepare for an Interview: Research Coles' current digital initiatives, customer offerings, and company values. Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions and be ready to discuss your portfolio in detail.

• Understand the Role's Impact: Be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience can contribute to Coles' mission and its digital transformation goals, particularly in enhancing customer experiences across its diverse brands.

⚠️ 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.

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