Service Design Consultant

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Design Consultant

Company: Focus Group

Location: Hybrid (Shoreham, Exeter, Birmingham, or Manchester offices)

Job Type: Permanent

Category: Technical Operations / Service Design

Date Posted: November 04, 2026

Experience Level: Specialist / Team Leader (Implied 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the design and delivery of standard and bespoke managed services, bridging the gap between pre-sales and live operation.

• Collaborate extensively with Service Design Architects, Product Owners, Sales, and technical teams to ensure customer needs are met with commercially viable solutions.

• Develop and refine service offerings through hands-on design, workshop facilitation, and the creation of critical service documentation.

• Contribute expertise in AI and automation to transform service delivery and enhance operational efficiency for SME and Enterprise clients.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a 'Specialist / Team Leader' and involves significant customer interaction, technical design, and commercial considerations, suggesting a mid-to-senior level position requiring strong operational and client-facing acumen. The emphasis on AI and automation indicates a forward-looking approach to service delivery within the Technical Operations department.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Engage in customer-facing meetings and workshops to meticulously capture business and service requirements, ensuring alignment with operational capabilities.

• Collaborate with Service Design Architects, Product Owners, Sales, and technical SMEs to validate proposed managed services for technical feasibility and commercial viability.

• Conduct thorough reviews of sales proposals to confirm operational supportability and ensure seamless integration with Service Teams.

• Develop and customize co-managed versions of standard services, tailoring solutions to meet the unique needs of individual customers.

• Craft compelling tender responses and presentations for IT managed service opportunities, articulating clear business benefits, cost savings, and overall value proposition.

• Lead design workshops both pre- and post-sale, actively participating in bid teams to drive successful outcomes.

• Create and maintain comprehensive Service Design and Service Description documents that clearly define service parameters and operational procedures.

• Facilitate the smooth handover of won opportunities to delivery, project, and support teams, ensuring a seamless transition into early life support.

• Provide critical feedback to Product Owners and the Service Design Architect to continuously improve standard service offerings based on real-world application and customer learnings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of pre-sales technical consulting and post-sales service implementation, requiring a candidate who can translate customer needs into operational realities and articulate value effectively to both internal and external stakeholders. The focus on documentation and handover underscores the importance of structured operational processes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a technical or service-oriented background is essential, implying a strong foundation in IT disciplines.

Experience: A proven track record within a Managed Service Provider (MSP) environment is critical, with experience contributing to technical solutions for SME to Enterprise businesses.

Required Skills:

• A strong technical or service background within a Managed Service Provider (MSP) environment.

• Exceptional problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to develop strategic thinking in technical contexts.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

• Working understanding of core Microsoft technologies including Microsoft 365, Azure, and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD).

• Familiarity with Windows Server, storage solutions, and hardware infrastructure.

• Knowledge of networking technologies from vendors such as HPE, Meraki, and SonicWall.

• Working understanding of key cyber security principles and frameworks, including Zero Trust, SASE, CASB, EDR/XDR, Managed SOC, vulnerability and penetration testing, Cyber Essentials Plus, and ISO 27001.

• Proficiency in AI and automation technologies and their application in service delivery.

• Experience contributing to technical solutions for SME to Enterprise businesses.

• Working knowledge of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) best practices for service management.

• Demonstrable experience in contributing to bids and tenders, including written responses and active participation in bid teams.

• Strong writing skills for creating clear and persuasive documentation and proposals.

• Confident presentation skills for engaging with customers and internal teams.

• Commercial awareness, including understanding of managed service pricing, margin calculations, and contract structures.

• Willingness to travel to customer sites as required. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific MSP tools such as IT Glue, Datto, and ServiceNow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize a broad technical foundation combined with strong commercial and communication abilities. The explicit mention of MSP tools suggests that familiarity with industry-standard operational platforms will be a significant advantage, indicating a need for candidates who can quickly adapt to the existing technology stack.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex customer requirements into actionable managed service designs, evidenced by case studies or project examples.

• Examples of service descriptions, design documents, or technical proposals that showcase clarity, accuracy, and alignment with business objectives.

• Evidence of contributions to bid and tender responses, highlighting successful outcomes and commercial considerations.

• Case studies or project examples illustrating the application of AI and automation in enhancing service delivery or operational efficiency.

• Documentation showcasing understanding and application of ITIL principles in service design and management. Process Documentation:

• Experience in creating and maintaining Service Design and Service Description documents, detailing service offerings, SLAs, and operational procedures.

• Ability to document workflows for service handover processes, ensuring smooth transitions from sales to delivery and support teams.

• Examples of how learnings from service delivery have been fed back to improve standard services and product roadmaps.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a formal portfolio isn't explicitly requested, the responsibilities strongly imply the need for candidates to showcase their work through detailed examples. Applicants should prepare to present case studies that demonstrate their problem-solving skills, technical design capabilities, commercial understanding, and ability to manage the full lifecycle of managed service offerings, from pre-sales to ongoing support.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Up to £50,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Holiday Allowance: 24 days plus bank holidays and birthday leave.

• Hybrid working options, contingent on performance.

• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave policies.

• Paid volunteering day and regular charity events.

• Comprehensive wider company benefits including health and financial wellbeing support, and a Pension scheme.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time role in the UK typically involves around 37.5-40 hours per week. The hybrid working option suggests some flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary is fixed at "Up to £50,000," indicating it's a ceiling rather than a range. Candidates should research comparable Service Design Consultant roles in the UK, particularly within the technology services and MSP sectors, to benchmark this offering. The benefits package is competitive, with a strong emphasis on work-life balance and employee wellbeing.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Services, Managed Services, IT Solutions. Focus Group operates within the dynamic IT managed services sector, serving 30,000 SME customers.

Company Size: 1,500 employees, indicating a significant player in the market with established processes yet retaining agility for growth.

Founded: While the founding date isn't specified, the company's substantial revenue (£300m) and recent $1bn valuation in 2024 highlight a history of growth and strategic success, particularly under Hg Capital's backing.

Team Structure:

• The role operates within the Technical Operations department, supporting the Service Design Architect.

• Close collaboration is expected with Product Owners, Sales teams, Pre-sales teams, and various technical delivery and support functions.

• The position implies a specialist role with potential for leadership, aligning with the 'Specialist / Team Leader' internal reference. Methodology:

• Focus Group is investing heavily in AI to transform operations and customer service, indicating a commitment to innovation and efficiency.

• The company aims to set new industry standards in managed service excellence and redefine technical support.

• Service design methodology will likely involve customer-centric approaches, iterative design, and a focus on operational feasibility and commercial success.

Company Website: https://focusgroup.co.uk

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's recent valuation and investment in AI suggest a growth-oriented culture that values innovation, efficiency, and customer-centricity. The emphasis on "setting new industry standards" points to a culture that encourages proactive improvement and high performance.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Specialist/Team Leader, indicating a senior individual contributor or a potential team lead. It requires a blend of deep technical understanding, strategic service design capabilities, and commercial acumen. The role is pivotal in translating business needs into operational realities for managed services.

Reporting Structure: The Service Design Consultant will report to or work closely with the Service Design Architect and collaborate with various departments including Service Management, Pre-sales, Sales, Product Owners, and technical delivery teams. This cross-functional interaction is key to the role's success.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts revenue by supporting pre-sales efforts and ensuring the successful delivery of profitable managed services. By designing and refining services, the consultant contributes to customer satisfaction, retention, and the company's reputation for excellence. The focus on AI and automation further amplifies operational efficiency and scalability.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific service areas, such as cloud, security, or AI-driven services, potentially leading to a Senior Service Design Architect role.

• Leadership: Progress into a Team Leader position within Service Design or a related operational management function, guiding and mentoring junior consultants.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute more significantly to the overall service portfolio strategy and product roadmap based on market insights and customer feedback.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Leverage experience to move into Product Management, Pre-sales Engineering leadership, or Service Delivery Management roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 'Specialist / Team Leader' designation suggests a clear career path. Growth likely involves taking on more complex design projects, leading design initiatives, or managing a team, all within the context of evolving managed services and emerging technologies like AI.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, allowing employees to work from Focus Group's offices in Shoreham, Exeter, Birmingham, or Manchester, or remotely. This offers flexibility in balancing in-office collaboration with remote productivity.

Office Location(s): Shoreham, Exeter, Birmingham, Manchester (United Kingdom).

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model necessitates a self-disciplined approach to work, with a focus on output and collaboration regardless of physical location.

• Expect a dynamic environment where close collaboration with diverse teams (Sales, Technical, Product) is frequent, requiring strong communication and virtual collaboration tools.

• Access to standard office amenities in designated locations for in-person meetings, workshops, and team sessions.

Work Schedule: While specific hours are not detailed, a standard full-time work week is implied. The hybrid arrangement suggests potential flexibility in daily scheduling, provided work responsibilities and meeting commitments are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role implies a modern work environment that values flexibility and results. Candidates should be comfortable with a mix of independent work and collaborative sessions, utilizing digital tools effectively to bridge geographical distances.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, focusing on MSP experience, technical skills (Microsoft, Azure, Cyber Security), and understanding of ITIL and bid processes.

• Technical & Design Interview: Likely involves discussing your experience with service design principles, MSP operations, and specific technologies. You may be asked to walk through a past service design project or a bid response you contributed to.

• Scenario-Based Assessment: You might be presented with a customer scenario or a technical challenge to assess your problem-solving, strategic thinking, and ability to articulate solutions and value. This could involve a mock bid response or a design workshop simulation.

• Cultural Fit & Stakeholder Interview: Discussions to assess communication skills, collaboration style, commercial awareness, and alignment with Focus Group's values and growth ambitions. This may involve meeting with the Service Design Architect, a Product Owner, or a Sales Manager.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to confirm suitability for the Specialist/Team Leader level.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight MSP Context: Showcase projects specifically from an MSP background, detailing challenges, your role, the solutions designed, and the outcomes achieved (e.g., improved efficiency, customer satisfaction, revenue generation).

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the value of your contributions. For bids, focus on how your input led to successful tenders. For service design, show improvements in SLAs, operational costs, or customer adoption.

• Demonstrate Process Understanding: Include examples of service design documents, process flows, or handover documentation you've created. Highlight your understanding and application of ITIL principles.

• Showcase AI/Automation Use Cases: If you have experience, include examples of how you've leveraged AI or automation to enhance service delivery, streamline operations, or provide innovative customer solutions.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize your experience with Microsoft 365, Azure, cybersecurity, and commercial aspects of managed services, as these are key requirements.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach designing a new managed service for a specific customer profile (e.g., a growing SME needing enhanced cybersecurity).

• Practice articulating the business benefits and ROI of proposed technical solutions.

• Familiarize yourself with current trends in managed services, cybersecurity, and AI applications within the IT sector.

• Review common bid and tender structures and practice writing concise, compelling executive summaries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely test a combination of technical depth, strategic thinking, commercial awareness, and communication skills. A well-prepared candidate will be able to articulate their experience using concrete examples that align with the responsibilities and required skills, particularly highlighting their contributions within an MSP context and their understanding of service design lifecycle.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• MSP Management Platforms: Experience with IT Glue (documentation), Datto (backup/disaster recovery/RMM), and ServiceNow (ITSM, workflow automation) would be highly beneficial.

• Microsoft Ecosystem: Deep working knowledge of Microsoft 365 (including services like Teams, SharePoint, Exchange Online), Azure (IaaS, PaaS, AVD), and Windows Server.

• Networking Hardware: Familiarity with networking solutions from HPE, Meraki, and SonicWall.

• Cyber Security Tools: Understanding of concepts and potentially tools related to Zero Trust, SASE, CASB, EDR/XDR, Managed SOC, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While specific tools aren't listed, experience with reporting features within MSP platforms (like Datto or ServiceNow) and general business intelligence tools for analyzing service performance and commercial metrics will be valuable. CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with CRM systems used in sales processes to understand proposal generation.

• Proficiency in AI and automation technologies is a key requirement, suggesting experience with relevant platforms or scripting for automating service tasks and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with specific MSP tools like IT Glue, Datto, and ServiceNow is highly desirable. Candidates should be ready to discuss their experience with these platforms and how they've used them to manage services, document solutions, and improve operational efficiency. The emphasis on AI and automation suggests an openness to exploring and implementing new technological solutions.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and meeting the needs of valued customers, as evidenced by the emphasis on customer meetings and tailored solutions.

• Excellence & Innovation: Commitment to setting new industry standards and redefining technical support, driven by investment in AI and a desire for continuous improvement.

• Collaboration: A team-oriented approach where pre-sales, design, and delivery functions work cohesively to achieve common goals.

• Commercial Acumen: A pragmatic approach that balances technical solutions with commercial feasibility, margin, and profitability.

• Efficiency: Driving operational efficiency through automation and effective service design.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role demands seamless collaboration between technical, sales, and product teams to ensure end-to-end service success.

• Workshop Facilitation: Active leadership in design workshops, bringing stakeholders together to align on requirements and solutions.

• Feedback Loop: A culture that encourages feeding learnings back from delivery to product and design teams for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Focus Group appears to foster a culture of growth, innovation, and customer focus. The emphasis on collaboration and continuous improvement suggests an environment where proactive individuals who can bridge technical and business needs will thrive.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Bespoke vs. Standard Services: Effectively designing custom solutions while leveraging and improving standard offerings to maintain scalability and profitability.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Keeping pace with advancements in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies to ensure service offerings remain relevant and competitive.

• Bridging Technical and Commercial Gaps: Translating complex technical capabilities into clear business benefits and financial value for customers and the company.

• Cross-Departmental Alignment: Ensuring buy-in and smooth handovers between Sales, Service Design, and Delivery/Support teams, especially in a growing organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & Automation Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in applying AI and automation to managed services, a key strategic area for the company.

• Service Design Methodology: Further development in structured service design frameworks and best practices.

• Industry Certifications: Potential to pursue certifications in relevant technologies (Azure, Cyber Security, ITIL) or service design.

• Exposure to Strategic Initiatives: Involvement in high-impact projects, including strategic acquisitions and major technology transformations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents opportunities to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of technology, sales, and operations. The company's investment in AI suggests significant opportunities for professionals looking to specialize in this cutting-edge area within a managed services context.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex managed service you helped design. What were the key challenges, how did you address them, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, problem-solving, and quantifiable results).

• "How would you approach scoping a new managed service for an SME that needs to enhance its cybersecurity posture using Microsoft 365 and Azure?" (Assess technical understanding, design thinking, and customer focus).

• "Imagine you're reviewing a sales proposal that seems operationally challenging to deliver within the proposed margin. How would you handle this situation with the sales team?" (Evaluate commercial awareness, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Focus Group's investment in AI and how do you see it impacting managed service delivery?" (Demonstrate research and strategic thinking about the company's direction).

• "How do you ensure effective collaboration between pre-sales, service design, and technical delivery teams?" (Highlight your understanding of cross-functional dynamics and communication strategies).

• "How do you measure the success of a new managed service offering?" (Focus on key performance indicators, customer satisfaction, and commercial viability). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Use a problem-solution-result framework for each case study. Clearly articulate the customer's need (problem), your design and implementation approach (solution), and the tangible benefits achieved (result).

• Metrics: Quantify the impact wherever possible (e.g., % increase in efficiency, % cost savings, reduction in support tickets, successful bid win rate).

• Visuals: Use diagrams to illustrate service architecture, workflows, or handover processes.

• Relevance: Tailor your examples to highlight your experience with MSPs, Microsoft/Azure technologies, cybersecurity, AI/automation, and bid/tender processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to demonstrate a strong understanding of the full managed service lifecycle, from initial customer engagement and technical design to operational handover and continuous improvement. Highlighting experience with AI and automation, alongside core MSP technologies and processes, will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Design Consultant position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Pinpoint HQ.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your experience within MSP environments, specific technical skills (Microsoft 365, Azure, Cyber Security), ITIL knowledge, and any experience with AI/automation, bid management, and service design. Use keywords found in the job description.

• Portfolio Preparation: Compile examples of service designs, technical proposals, bid responses, or case studies that demonstrate your capabilities. Be ready to discuss these in detail during interviews, focusing on your role, the challenges, the solutions, and the impact.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Focus Group's services, recent news (especially regarding their AI investment and $1bn valuation), and their market position. Understand their commitment to "setting new industry standards."

• Interview Practice: Rehearse answers to common interview questions related to technical design, problem-solving, stakeholder management, and commercial awareness. Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

⚠️ 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.