Senior Service Designer - On-site Abu Dhabi - Octopus by RTG (5 months contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Service Designer - On-site Abu Dhabi - Octopus by RTG (5 months contract)

Company: Robusta

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Job Type: Contract

Category: Experience Design / Service Design

Date Posted: June 02, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and optimize end-to-end services by creating comprehensive customer journey maps, service blueprints, and experience frameworks to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

• Lead the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative customer insights derived from research to inform strategic service design decisions and identify key areas for improvement.

• Facilitate impactful co-creation workshops and stakeholder engagement sessions, fostering collaboration to drive innovative service solutions.

• Identify and address critical customer pain points and service gaps, translating them into actionable recommendations for enhanced user experiences.

• Support the definition and measurement of key customer experience metrics and success indicators to track service performance and demonstrate ROI.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 5-month contract position, which is a crucial detail for candidates to consider in terms of career planning and project scope. The focus is on practical application of service design principles to improve existing services and develop new ones, emphasizing a hands-on approach rather than purely strategic oversight. The mention of "AI" in the company description suggests potential future integration of AI-driven insights or tools into the service design process.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth customer research, synthesizing both qualitative and quantitative data to drive informed service design decisions.

• Develop detailed customer journey maps, service blueprints, ecosystem maps, and comprehensive experience frameworks.

• Lead and facilitate interactive workshops, co-creation sessions, and crucial stakeholder engagement activities.

• Proactively identify customer pain points, critical service gaps, and emerging opportunities for significant experience improvement.

• Conceptualize, develop, and rigorously test service concepts, prototypes, and innovative experience solutions to validate customer desirability and usability.

• Foster seamless collaboration with UX designers, researchers, business analysts, and technical teams to ensure solution feasibility and alignment with overarching business objectives.

• Translate complex research findings and service design outputs into clear, actionable recommendations and precise implementation requirements.

• Support robust service performance measurement by defining relevant customer experience metrics and key success indicators.

• Champion the continuous improvement of service design methodologies, tools, and best practices within the team and client engagements.

• Actively promote human-centered design principles and a customer-centric mindset across project teams and client interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of analytical rigor (research synthesis, metric definition) and creative execution (concept development, prototyping). The emphasis on "actionable recommendations and implementation requirements" suggests the role requires a practical output that directly influences product or service development, not just theoretical design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Service Design, Interaction Design, Human-Centered Design, Design Strategy, or a closely related field.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in Service Design, Customer Experience (CX), User Experience (UX) Design, Design Strategy, or analogous disciplines. Proven track record of successfully developing and deploying customer journey maps, service blueprints, and comprehensive ecosystem models.

Required Skills:

• Deep understanding of user-centered design methodologies, robust customer research techniques, and innovative service innovation practices.

• Demonstrated experience in facilitating engaging workshops and effectively collaborating with diverse, cross-functional teams.

• Strong aptitude for analyzing complex customer insights and translating them into practical, implementable service improvements.

• Proficiency in essential service design and collaborative tools such as Miro, Figma, Smaply, or equivalent platforms.

• Exceptional communication, compelling storytelling, and impactful presentation skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience in customer experience or service design projects specifically within the telecommunications or financial services sectors.

• Familiarity with complementary methodologies such as Design Thinking, Business Modeling, and Operational Process Design.

• Experience working within consulting, digital transformation, or innovation-focused environments.

• Arabic language proficiency is highly desirable for effective communication with local stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for Arabic language proficiency is noted as preferred, indicating its value in facilitating local stakeholder engagement and understanding regional nuances, which is critical for on-site roles in Abu Dhabi. The minimum of 5 years' experience suggests a mid-to-senior level role, expecting independent contribution and leadership in design initiatives.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase of meticulously crafted customer journey maps and detailed service blueprints demonstrating end-to-end service flow analysis and optimization.

• Examples of ecosystem maps illustrating the interconnectedness of various service touchpoints and stakeholders.

• Case studies detailing the process of identifying customer pain points and translating them into innovative service solutions.

• Demonstrations of workshop facilitation and co-creation outcomes, highlighting collaborative problem-solving.

• Evidence of user research synthesis and the translation of insights into actionable design recommendations.

Process Documentation:

• Documentation of the end-to-end service design process, from initial research and insight generation to concept development and implementation planning.

• Clear articulation of how human-centered design principles are integrated throughout the design lifecycle.

• Examples of how service design outputs are translated into actionable requirements for development and implementation teams.

• Demonstration of how customer experience metrics are defined and used to measure the success and impact of implemented services.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for this role, particularly demonstrating the tangible application of service design tools like journey maps and blueprints. The employer will likely expect to see a clear progression from research to actionable insights and validated solutions, emphasizing practical problem-solving and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Given the contract nature of the role, the absence of a specified salary, and the location in Abu Dhabi, a competitive daily or monthly rate would be expected. Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Service Designers in major UAE cities with 5-10 years of experience, a typical range might be AED 2,500 - AED 4,000 per day, or AED 55,000 - AED 85,000 per month, depending on the specific skills, experience, and negotiation. This range is an estimate and should be confirmed directly with Robusta.

Benefits:

• Contract Duration: 5-month engagement offering a focused project experience.

• On-site Work Environment: Opportunity to work directly within the client's operational hub in Abu Dhabi.

• Professional Development: Exposure to complex service design challenges within a partner organization focused on AI growth.

• Collaborative Team: Opportunity to work with a dedicated Experience Design team and cross-functional stakeholders.

• Global Exposure: Part of Octopus by RTG, which connects companies with global talent and facilitates tailored hub solutions.

Working Hours:

The standard working hours are likely to be 40 hours per week, aligning with typical professional services schedules in the UAE. Flexibility may be offered, but the on-site requirement suggests adherence to office-based working hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: As this is a contract position, benefits are typically less comprehensive than permanent roles. The primary "benefit" is likely the project experience itself and the rate of pay. Salary estimation is based on local market research for senior-level design roles in Abu Dhabi, considering the contract duration and specialized skills required.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Consulting, and Talent Solutions. Robusta Technology Group (RTG) operates in the tech sector, specializing in building global tech teams for partner organizations. Octopus by RTG focuses on providing tailored hub solutions, bridging talent between Europe and Africa, with a current emphasis on AI growth.

Company Size: Robusta Technology Group (RTG) is described as a "leading tech group" with a successful track record and a preferred employer in Egypt. While a specific number isn't provided, its scale suggests a substantial organization with established operations, capable of managing complex international talent solutions. Octopus by RTG aims to rapidly assemble global tech teams.

Founded: Robusta has a decade of experience, indicating operations dating back to approximately 2016. This longevity suggests stability and a mature understanding of the tech talent market. Octopus is positioned as a specialized arm of RTG.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Service Designer will join an "Experience Design team," implying a dedicated group focused on user-centric design principles.

• This role requires significant collaboration with researchers, strategists, other designers (UX), business analysts, and technical teams, indicating a matrixed or project-based team structure common in consulting and project delivery environments.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Emphasis on synthesizing qualitative and quantitative customer insights to inform design decisions.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Core responsibility involves mapping service ecosystems and designing blueprints to optimize end-to-end services.

• Automation & Efficiency: While not explicitly stated for this role, the company's focus on "AI growth" and RTG's operational model suggests an underlying drive for efficiency and leveraging technology. The service designer will contribute to improving service efficiency through design.

Company Website: https://www.robustagroup.com/ (Derived from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's model of creating "tailored hubs" and connecting global talent suggests a dynamic, project-oriented environment. The Senior Service Designer will likely work on distinct client projects, requiring adaptability and the ability to quickly understand different business contexts. The emphasis on "AI growth" within the partner organization is a key strategic direction to be aware of.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is categorized as "Senior," indicating a position that requires significant independent contribution, leadership in design initiatives, and the ability to mentor or guide junior team members. The 5+ years of experience requirement reinforces this seniority, expecting a high level of expertise in core service design competencies.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Service Designer will report to a lead within the Experience Design team. They will also work closely with project managers and client-side stakeholders, navigating a multi-faceted reporting and collaboration landscape typical of contract roles within consulting or project-based organizations.

Operations Impact: The Senior Service Designer's impact is directly tied to enhancing customer experiences, which in turn influences customer satisfaction, loyalty, and potentially revenue generation for the client organization. By identifying and resolving service gaps and pain points, they contribute to operational efficiency and a stronger brand reputation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, such as journey mapping, service blueprinting, or experience strategy, through project work.

• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience in the telecommunications or financial services sectors (preferred qualifications), understanding their unique CX challenges.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop stronger collaboration and facilitation skills by working with diverse teams and stakeholders, potentially leading design initiatives on future projects.

• Project Variety: Experience a range of client projects and business challenges, building a robust portfolio and expanding problem-solving capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role, "growth" typically means expanding one's portfolio and skill set through diverse project experiences rather than linear career progression within a single company. The "senior" title suggests an opportunity to take ownership and demonstrate leadership on specific project deliverables.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly "On-site," meaning the Senior Service Designer will be based at a physical office location in Abu Dhabi, likely within the partner organization's facilities or a dedicated Octopus by RTG hub.

Office Location(s): Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Specific office details would be provided upon engagement.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role necessitates close collaboration with researchers, strategists, UX designers, business analysts, and technical teams, suggesting an open and interactive workspace designed to facilitate teamwork.

• Tools & Technology: Access to essential service design and collaboration tools like Miro, Figma, and Smaply is expected, indicating a tech-enabled workspace.

• Client Interaction: The on-site nature implies direct interaction with client teams and stakeholders, providing a rich context for understanding business needs and user behaviors firsthand.

Work Schedule: Standard professional working hours, likely 40 hours per week, are expected. The on-site requirement means adherence to a fixed schedule within the office premises.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Abu Dhabi is a key factor. Candidates should consider the commute and the local work culture. The collaborative workspace is designed to foster innovation and efficient problem-solving for client projects.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with role requirements.

• Technical/Skills Interview: Discussion focused on service design methodologies, experience with journey mapping, service blueprinting, research synthesis, and tool proficiency (Miro, Figma, Smaply). Expect scenario-based questions.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their work, showcasing 1-2 key projects that demonstrate their problem-solving approach, design process, and impact.

• Stakeholder/Cultural Fit Interview: Interaction with hiring managers or senior team members to assess communication style, collaboration abilities, and fit with the team's and client's culture.

• Final Decision: Based on overall assessment of skills, experience, portfolio, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best highlight your end-to-end service design capabilities, focusing on those with clear problem statements, robust processes, and demonstrable outcomes.

• Tell a Story: For each project, articulate the context, the problem you were solving, your specific role and process, the challenges faced, the solutions developed, and the measurable impact or learnings.

• Showcase Tools: Clearly indicate the tools used (Miro, Figma, Smaply) and how they facilitated your design process and collaboration.

• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, showcasing your facilitation and communication skills.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, include metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrates the success of your service design interventions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical service design challenge related to improving a digital or physical service.

• Practice articulating your thought process, outlining research steps, ideation techniques, and validation methods.

• Consider how you would integrate human-centered design principles and stakeholder feedback into your approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is a critical component. Candidates should be ready to deeply dive into their past work, explaining the "why" and "how" behind their design decisions and demonstrating tangible results.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Miro: Essential for collaborative ideation, workshop facilitation, journey mapping, and service blueprinting. Proficiency in using its features for real-time collaboration and documentation is key.

• Figma: Widely used for prototyping, wireframing, and UI design elements that may be part of service design outputs. Experience in creating interactive prototypes and design systems is beneficial.

• Smaply: A specialized tool for customer journey mapping, persona creation, and stakeholder mapping. Familiarity with its capabilities for visualizing complex customer experiences is advantageous.

• Other Collaboration Tools: Expect to use tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar platforms for daily communication and project coordination.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding the role of CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation tools in the customer journey can provide context for service design. Knowledge of how service design impacts these systems is valuable.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Miro, Figma, and Smaply indicates these are the primary tools candidates are expected to be proficient with. Demonstrating practical application of these tools in portfolio projects will be highly advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-Centered Design: A core principle that emphasizes understanding and designing for the needs and behaviors of customers. This drives all design decisions.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working effectively with diverse teams (researchers, strategists, developers, business stakeholders) to co-create and implement solutions.

• Customer Focus: An unwavering commitment to delivering meaningful and positive customer experiences across all touchpoints.

• Innovation & Improvement: A drive to continuously identify opportunities for service enhancement and implement creative solutions.

• Data-Informed Decisions: Using qualitative and quantitative insights to guide design choices and measure impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role is designed to be highly collaborative, requiring seamless integration with various departments to ensure holistic service design and successful implementation.

• Workshop-Driven: A culture that leverages workshops and co-creation sessions as primary methods for problem-solving and ideation.

• Feedback Exchange: Openness to sharing work-in-progress, receiving constructive feedback, and iterating on designs based on input from peers and stakeholders.

• Knowledge Sharing: A proactive approach to sharing best practices, learnings from projects, and insights within the design team and with client teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values highlight a practical, hands-on approach to design, emphasizing collaboration and tangible customer outcomes. Candidates should align their communication and approach with these values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Navigating and aligning the diverse and sometimes competing needs of various business stakeholders with customer needs.

• Translating Insights to Action: Effectively bridging the gap between research findings and actionable design recommendations that can be implemented by development teams.

• Measuring Impact: Defining and tracking relevant metrics to demonstrate the value and ROI of service design initiatives, especially in a short-term contract.

• Adapting to Client Contexts: Quickly understanding new business domains (e.g., telecom, finance) and client-specific challenges to deliver relevant solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Project-Specific Learning: Deepen understanding of specific industries (telecom, finance) and their unique customer experience challenges.

• Methodology Refinement: Enhance skills in specialized service design techniques through hands-on application and exposure to different project methodologies.

• Cross-functional Acumen: Improve ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with technical, business, and research teams.

• Portfolio Expansion: Build a robust portfolio with diverse case studies showcasing successful service design interventions for a global client base.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract nature presents a challenge to demonstrate long-term impact, so focusing on clear, measurable outcomes within the 5-month timeframe is crucial. Growth opportunities are primarily experiential, building a broader skill set and portfolio.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex service you've designed or significantly improved. What was the problem, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating process, tools used, and impact.)

• "How do you balance the needs of the business with the needs of the customer when designing a service?" (Prepare examples of negotiation and compromise.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working with Octopus by RTG and our focus on AI growth?" (Research RTG's mission and current projects.)

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment, especially in a project-based setting?" (Highlight your teamwork and communication skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 Strongest Projects: Choose projects that represent the breadth of your skills and the impact you've made.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline: The Challenge, Your Role & Process, The Solution, and The Outcome/Learnings.

• Use Visuals: Leverage your journey maps, blueprints, and prototypes to illustrate your points. Explain why you made certain design choices.

• Be Concise: Practice your presentation to fit within the allocated time, focusing on key insights and achievements.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your decision-making, challenges faced, and how you handled feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your experience with specific tools like Miro and Figma in detail. The emphasis will be on your practical application of service design principles to solve real-world business problems.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Service Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience with customer journey mapping, service blueprinting, user research, and workshop facilitation. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio clearly showcases your best work, emphasizing your process, tools used (Miro, Figma, Smaply), and measurable outcomes. Prepare a concise presentation narrative for key projects.

• Research Robusta/Octopus: Understand their business model, their focus on AI growth, and their approach to talent solutions. This will help tailor your application and interview responses.

• Prepare for Case Study/Scenario: Anticipate questions or a brief exercise that tests your ability to think through a service design problem.

⚠️ 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.