Senior Service Designer - Hawthorn East

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer

Company: Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty

Location: Hawthorn East, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Service Design / User Experience Operations

Date Posted: April 15, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (Equivalent to 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end service design initiatives, from strategic planning and in-depth research to the seamless delivery of customer experiences across multiple channels.

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of customer journeys, operational requirements, and critical service touchpoints to inform design strategies.

• Collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, including Digital, eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, and Customer Care teams, to ensure unified and customer-centric service offerings.

• Leverage data-driven insights and robust research methodologies to influence product and service roadmaps, driving impactful business decisions.

• Foster a culture of design excellence through mentorship, workshop facilitation, and the promotion of design thinking principles across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a large, established retail organization (Coles Supermarkets) and focuses on Service Design, which is a critical function for enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency in a GTM (Go-To-Market) context. The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration and influencing roadmaps is typical for a Senior role in operations-adjacent design functions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the complete service design lifecycle, encompassing strategic planning, user research, journey mapping, prototyping, and the successful implementation of service improvements.

• Develop and maintain detailed customer journey maps, service blueprints, and ecosystem maps to create a shared understanding of current and future states across product, operations, and customer-facing teams.

• Partner closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Marketing Specialists, and Operations Leads to align on unified, best-in-class customer experiences that meet both user needs and business objectives.

• Utilize qualitative and quantitative research findings, alongside performance data, to articulate compelling narratives and influence strategic decision-making regarding product development and service enhancements.

• Design and facilitate collaborative workshops and co-creation sessions with internal teams and external partners to generate innovative solutions, drive alignment, and define actionable next steps.

• Mentor junior designers and contribute to the development of a robust design practice and strong design thinking culture across various departments within Coles Group.

• Translate complex customer needs and business requirements into clear, actionable design specifications and experience strategies that guide product and service development.

• Continuously evaluate and iterate on service designs based on user feedback, performance metrics, and evolving market trends to ensure ongoing relevance and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution, typical for a Senior Service Designer. The scope extends beyond digital to encompass the entire enterprise, requiring strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence across diverse functions like Operations and Fulfilment, which are key to a retail GTM strategy.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Anthropology, Business, or a related field is highly advantageous. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-7 years of progressive experience in service design, UX design, CX design, or a closely related field, with a proven track record of leading complex design projects from conception to delivery. Experience within a large-scale retail or e-commerce environment is a significant plus.

Required Skills:

• Service Design Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of end-to-end service design methodologies, including journey mapping, service blueprints, stakeholder analysis, and experience design.

• Design Research Proficiency: Ability to plan, conduct, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, surveys, data analysis) to uncover actionable insights.

• Workshop Facilitation: Skilled in designing and leading effective co-creation, ideation, and problem-solving workshops for diverse audiences, driving consensus and action.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Proven ability to build strong relationships with cross-functional teams, senior leaders, and external partners, influencing decisions through compelling insights and strategic recommendations.

• Design Thinking: Strong command of design thinking principles and their application to solve complex business and customer problems.

• Prototyping & Visualization: Proficiency in creating various levels of fidelity prototypes and visual artifacts (e.g., wireframes, mockups, service blueprints) to communicate design concepts.

• Data-Driven Strategy: Ability to interpret and leverage data (e.g., customer metrics, operational data, market research) to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Excellent interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal, written, and visual communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to various audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the retail or consumer goods industry, particularly in e-commerce or omni-channel operations.

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

• Experience with journey mapping tools (e.g., Miro, Mural, Lucidchart) and UX/UI design software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite).

• A strong understanding of user experience (UX) and customer experience (CX) principles and best practices.

• Experience in mentoring or coaching other designers or team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: The skills listed are tailored to a Senior Service Designer role, emphasizing expertise in design methodologies, research, stakeholder influence, and data-driven approaches, which are crucial for operations and GTM functions aiming to optimize customer journeys and service delivery.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating ownership of the entire service design process, from initial problem definition and research through to solution design, implementation collaboration, and impact measurement.

• Customer Journey & Service Blueprint Examples: Include detailed examples of customer journey maps and service blueprints that illustrate complex systems, identify pain points, and propose innovative solutions.

• Research & Insight Synthesis: Present examples of how research findings (qualitative and quantitative) were synthesized to generate actionable insights that directly informed design decisions and strategy.

• Stakeholder Collaboration & Influence: Demonstrate instances where you successfully collaborated with diverse cross-functional teams and influenced strategic decisions or roadmaps through design recommendations.

• Problem-Solving & Design Thinking Application: Highlight projects where design thinking principles were applied to solve complex business or customer problems, showcasing your approach to simplifying ambiguity.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of how you have mapped, analyzed, and optimized existing service workflows or designed new ones to improve efficiency and customer experience.

• Implementation & Automation Collaboration: Showcase instances where you've worked with technical and operational teams to implement service designs, potentially involving automation or system integration.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Include examples of how you have defined key performance indicators (KPIs) for service designs and tracked their impact on customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, or business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Service Designer, a portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond visual design to demonstrate strategic thinking, research capabilities, and the ability to drive tangible improvements in service delivery and customer experience, aligning with operational goals.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Service Designer in Hawthorn East, Melbourne, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience, we estimate a competitive annual salary range of AUD $120,000 - $170,000. This range is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major Australian metropolitan areas, considering the seniority, specialized skills, and the company's standing as a large ASX-listed entity.

Benefits:

• Flexible Working Options: Hybrid working arrangements are available, promoting a healthy work-life balance.

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

• Employee Discounts: A 5% discount on Coles Supermarket and Liquor purchases (online and in-store), with opportunities for double discounts (10%) during promotional periods.

• Reward & Recognition Program: Participation in the ‘mythanks’ platform for accumulating points and redeeming gifts, linked to Coles values.

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

• Paid Parental Leave: Generous paid parental leave for permanent team members.

• Share Plan: Eligible team members can participate in an annual team member share plan through pre-tax salary sacrifice.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position. While standard office hours are typical, the hybrid work model offers flexibility. The role requires approximately 40 hours per week, with occasional flexibility needed to accommodate project deadlines or critical stakeholder engagements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry data for senior design roles in Australia. The benefits listed are directly from the job description and are tailored to highlight aspects appealing to professionals seeking work-life balance, financial perks, and career growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (Supermarkets, Liquor, Health, Beauty, Pet Products). Coles Supermarkets operates within a highly competitive and dynamic retail landscape, constantly adapting to evolving consumer behaviors and technological advancements. For operations and service design, this means a focus on efficiency, customer convenience, and seamless omni-channel experiences.

Company Size: A large, publicly listed company (top 30 ASX), employing over 115,000 team members across Australia. This scale implies complex operational structures, a wide customer base, and significant opportunities for impact.

Founded: 1914. With over a century of history, Coles has a deep-rooted presence in Australian communities, balancing tradition with a strong drive for innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Digital team is at the forefront of innovation, focusing on creating differentiated, omni-channel experiences. This Senior Service Designer will work within this team, reporting to the Service Design & Design Research Manager.

• The role requires extensive collaboration with various departments including eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, Merchandising, and external suppliers, indicating a matrixed and cross-functional reporting environment for projects.

Methodology:

• Customer-Centricity: A core approach, driven by the "bringing our customers smiles" mission and the goal to "help Australians eat and live better."

• Data-Driven Insights: Decisions are influenced by data and research, essential for optimizing retail operations and customer journeys.

• Innovation & Digital Transformation: The Digital team is focused on building the "next generation of digital retailing" and creating "differentiated, omni-channel experiences."

• Design Thinking: Utilized as a primary problem-solving methodology, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Coles' position as a major retailer is key. The operations and service design functions must be highly attuned to customer needs, supply chain efficiency, and the complexities of a vast physical and digital footprint.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level role, indicating significant autonomy, responsibility for leading projects, and potentially influencing strategic direction within the service design domain. It sits within a specialized function (Design) but has a broad operational impact across the entire enterprise.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Service Design & Design Research Manager. However, the nature of the work involves extensive collaboration and influence across various departments and with senior stakeholders, suggesting a matrixed reporting environment for project work, common in large organizations driving cross-functional initiatives.

Operations Impact: The impact is substantial, as the role designs services that millions of Australians rely on daily for essential needs. By shaping products and services across the enterprise, this role directly influences customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, brand loyalty, and ultimately, revenue generation through improved shopping experiences. The focus on essential services means a high degree of responsibility for accessibility and critical user needs.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into a lead or manager role within the Service Design team, overseeing more complex projects or managing a small team, with opportunities for career progression into broader CX or Digital leadership roles.

• Skill Specialization & Expansion: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, user research, or digital strategy, or expand into related fields like product strategy, innovation management, or operational excellence.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain extensive experience and knowledge across diverse operational areas (e-commerce, fulfilment, marketing, customer care), building a unique skill set valuable for future leadership roles within Coles or the broader retail industry.

• Mentorship & Influence: Develop leadership and mentoring skills by guiding junior designers and influencing design practices across the organization, contributing to the company's overall design maturity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a strategic contribution beyond execution. For operations-focused candidates, this role offers a path to influence critical customer-facing processes and operational improvements within a major retail entity.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Hawthorn East, Melbourne, and operates on a hybrid model. This suggests a professional office environment designed for collaboration and focused work, complemented by the flexibility of remote work days.

Office Location(s): Hawthorn East, Melbourne, Victoria. This location offers specific on-site perks like a gym, fitness classes, free parking, and a mini-Coles supermarket, creating a convenient and amenity-rich workspace.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed to facilitate co-creation, workshops, and team interactions, crucial for a service designer who needs to work closely with diverse teams.

• Tools & Technology: Access to necessary design and collaboration tools will be provided, supporting efficient workflow and digital strategy development.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to engage with colleagues from various departments within the Digital team and across the enterprise, fostering a rich learning and networking environment.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with a hybrid arrangement. This offers a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility, supporting efficient service design processes that may require deep focus work at home and collaborative sessions in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and office perks are significant selling points for work-life balance, which is often a key consideration for professionals in demanding roles like Senior Service Design, especially those with operational oversight.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review, focusing on resume and portfolio for relevant experience and skills. Candidates may undergo a brief phone screening with a recruiter.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Candidates will likely be asked to present a selection of their work from their portfolio, focusing on 1-2 key service design case studies. This will be followed by a design thinking or service design challenge, potentially involving problem-solving for a hypothetical Coles scenario or analyzing a given service.

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

• Final Interview: May involve a senior leader within the Digital or broader business function to assess cultural fit, leadership potential, and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select case studies that best demonstrate your end-to-end service design process, stakeholder management, and ability to drive impact in complex environments. Prioritize projects that show problem identification, research, solution design, and measurable outcomes.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the key insights generated, the solutions developed, and the impact (quantifiable where possible). Focus on how you achieved results.

• Emphasize Operations & GTM: If possible, highlight projects where your service design work directly improved operational efficiency, streamlined customer journeys for purchases, or contributed to go-to-market strategies for new products or services.

• Showcase Collaboration: Illustrate how you worked with cross-functional teams, including operations, marketing, and product, to bring designs to life and ensure successful implementation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Familiarize yourself with Coles' brands, customer segments, competitive landscape, and current strategic priorities, especially regarding digital transformation and omni-channel retail.

• Practice Design Thinking: Be ready to apply design thinking principles to a given problem. This includes empathy, defining the problem, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

• Service Design Frameworks: Refresh your knowledge of service design tools and techniques (e.g., customer journey mapping, service blueprints, stakeholder mapping) and be prepared to apply them conceptually.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss potential trade-offs between ideal customer experience, operational feasibility, and business constraints, demonstrating a pragmatic approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process described is standard for senior design roles, particularly in large organizations. Emphasis is placed on portfolio demonstration, problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate and influence across departments, which is crucial for operational impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design & UX Tools: Proficiency in tools for journey mapping, service blueprinting, wireframing, prototyping, and user flow design. Examples include Miro, Mural, Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Lucidchart, and potentially specialized service design software.

• Research Tools: Experience with tools for user surveys, usability testing platforms, and data analysis for qualitative and quantitative insights.

• Collaboration Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams for project management and cross-functional communication.

• Presentation Software: Advanced skills in PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote for presenting research findings, design concepts, and strategic recommendations.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus, an understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms interact with customer journeys and service delivery would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Service Designer, tool proficiency is less about mastering one specific software and more about the ability to leverage a range of tools effectively to support the entire service design process, from research and ideation to stakeholder communication and implementation collaboration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A paramount value, driving all efforts to "help Australians eat and live better" and "bring our customers smiles." This translates to prioritizing customer needs and experiences in all service design decisions.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Emphasized through the need to "partner with stakeholders," "facilitate co-creation workshops," and foster a "strong design culture." The company values are listed as "innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking."

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The role is expected to "influence decisions using data-driven insights and research-led strategies," reflecting a commitment to measurable impact.

• Continuous Learning & Growth: The description highlights a "growth mindset," "continuously learning," and "eager to contribute to a community that thrives on learning."

• Empathy & Human Behavior: A core attribute for designers, emphasizing understanding and designing for human needs and behaviors.

• Challenge the Status Quo: Encouraged for those who "adapt with ease to ambiguity and change" and are "genuinely curious."

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role is designed to be highly collaborative, working closely with Digital, eCommerce, Operations, Marketing, Fulfilment, Customer Care, and Merchandising teams. This requires strong communication and relationship-building skills.

• Co-creation & Workshop-Driven: A preference for interactive sessions where diverse perspectives are brought together to solve problems and build shared understanding.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: A culture of supporting peer growth and sharing design expertise across the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on collaboration, data-driven approaches, and continuous learning aligns well with modern operations and GTM functions that rely on cross-departmental synergy and iterative improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Large Enterprise Complexity: Balancing innovative design with the established processes, systems, and stakeholder interests of a large, long-standing retail organization.

• Driving Enterprise-Wide Adoption: Influencing and gaining buy-in for service design initiatives across diverse departments that may have different priorities or levels of design maturity.

• Measuring Impact of Service Design: Quantifying the ROI of service design initiatives, especially intangible benefits like customer satisfaction and loyalty, within a retail context driven by sales metrics.

• Adapting to Evolving Retail Landscape: Staying ahead of rapid changes in retail technology, consumer expectations, and competitive pressures, and translating these into effective service designs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Retail Operations: Gain in-depth understanding of complex retail operations, supply chains, fulfilment logistics, and customer care processes, which are critical for designing effective services.

• Leadership & Influence Skills: Enhance capabilities in leading without direct authority, influencing senior stakeholders, and mentoring teams within a large corporate structure.

• Strategic Impact: Contribute to shaping the future of digital and omni-channel retail experiences for millions of customers, making a significant and visible impact on the business.

• Industry Exposure: Work with leading retail brands and potentially collaborate with external partners and technology providers, staying abreast of industry best practices and innovations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the strategic nature of the role, requiring strong problem-solving and communication skills to overcome organizational inertia and drive change within a complex operational environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end service design process for a complex initiative. What were the key stages, challenges, and outcomes?" (Focus on your process, research, stakeholder management, and quantifiable results.)

• "How do you build shared understanding and align diverse stakeholders (e.g., Operations, Marketing, Digital) around a unified customer experience vision?" (Prepare examples of workshop facilitation, communication strategies, and conflict resolution.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Coles, and how do you see your skills contributing to our mission of helping Australians eat and live better?" (Research Coles' values, recent initiatives, and connect them to your own experience and aspirations.)

• "How do you approach fostering a strong design culture and mentoring junior designers or non-designers in design thinking?" (Provide examples of your mentoring style and how you advocate for design principles.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role and responsibilities, the methodology used, key insights derived from research, the proposed solutions, and the impact/outcomes achieved (use metrics!).

• Highlight Operational Relevance: If possible, choose case studies that showcase your understanding of operational constraints or improvements you've driven in service delivery, fulfilment, or customer support processes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (journey maps, blueprints, prototypes) effectively to illustrate your thinking and design process. Be prepared to walk through these artifacts in detail.

• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs made, how you handled ambiguity, and how your work aligns with business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, operational understanding, and the ability to translate design concepts into tangible business value, particularly within the retail context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Service Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Coles Careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight experience in end-to-end service design, customer journey mapping, stakeholder management, and driving improvements in operational or customer-facing processes within a large organization. Prepare 2-3 concise case studies that showcase your impact.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience with design thinking, user research, workshop facilitation, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description and operations/GTM terminology where relevant.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your case studies, focusing on the problem, your approach, the insights gained, the solutions designed, and the measurable outcomes. Prepare to discuss how your work impacts operational efficiency and customer experience in a retail setting.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Coles Supermarkets, its brands, current digital initiatives, and its stated values. Understand their strategic goals related to customer experience, digital transformation, and omni-channel retail.

⚠️ 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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