Service Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Design Manager

Company: BAE Systems

Location: Preston, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: IT Service Operations / Service Design

Date Posted: June 03, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (Implied 5-10 years of relevant experience)

Remote Status: Hybrid (1 day per week on-site)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is critical for implementing and managing IT service designs that align with overarching business objectives within a defence, aerospace, and security solutions context.

• The Service Design Manager will be responsible for orchestrating and facilitating workshops to elicit requirements and collaboratively shape user-centric service designs.

• A key focus will be on the creation and delivery of comprehensive Service Design Packs, ensuring seamless transitions into operational IT environments and maintaining high standards of availability and user experience.

• The position requires a strong understanding of IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks, particularly ITIL, to drive the design and implementation of robust, scalable, and efficient IT services.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Manager" title, coupled with the implied experience level and the responsibility for designing and transitioning services, suggests a role that requires significant autonomy and strategic input within the Service Operations team, rather than a purely execution-focused position. The hybrid work model with a specific on-site day indicates a need for collaborative in-person engagement.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Service Design Implementation: Design new IT services with a focus on optimal availability, incorporating robust proactive service management processes and ensuring positive end-user experiences.

• Service Design Pack Creation: Develop detailed Service Design Packs (SDPs) that accurately document new services, including architecture, operational requirements, support models, and transition plans.

• Service Transition Support: Collaborate closely with Service Transition teams to ensure new services are built, tested, and released effectively, meeting all agreed-upon requirements and quality standards.

• Workshop Facilitation: Lead and facilitate engaging workshops with a diverse range of stakeholders, including service owners, project managers, and technical teams, to gather requirements, define solutions, and foster strong working relationships.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain trusted relationships with project managers, service owners, and other key stakeholders across the organization to ensure alignment and clear communication throughout the service design lifecycle.

• Process Compliance: Ensure all service designs and transition activities comply with BAE Systems' established delivery frameworks and organizational standards.

• Documentation Excellence: Produce high-quality, comprehensive documentation using tools such as Microsoft Office Suite, Jira, and Confluence, ensuring accuracy and clarity for all service-related artifacts.

• Continuous Improvement: Contribute to the ongoing improvement of IT service delivery by identifying opportunities for optimization in design, transition, and operational processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core duties are listed, the emphasis on "designing for end user consumption ensuring positive User Experiences are delivered" and "optimal availability via introduction of robust proactive service management processes" highlights the dual focus on user satisfaction and operational resilience, which are critical in a defence and aerospace context. The requirement to deliver for "multiple projects within a programme" indicates a need for strong program-level coordination.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Possession of an ITIL Foundation certification is a mandatory requirement.

Experience:

• Proven experience in IT Service Management (ITSM), with a strong emphasis on Service Design and Service Transition Management principles and practices.

• Demonstrated experience in facilitating workshops and engaging effectively with diverse stakeholder groups, including senior management, project teams, and technical experts.

• Experience in developing and delivering comprehensive Service Design Packs for complex IT solutions.

• A track record of successfully transitioning new services into live operational environments.

Required Skills:

• IT Service Management (ITSM) Knowledge: Deep understanding of ITSM principles, processes, and best practices.

• Service Design Principles: Proficiency in understanding and applying service design methodologies, including the creation of service blueprints, user journeys, and service specifications.

• Service Transition Management: Expertise in the processes and activities involved in moving new or changed services into operation.

• ITIL Foundation: Certified understanding of the ITIL framework.

• Workshop Facilitation: Proven ability to plan, lead, and document engaging and productive workshops.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to build rapport and manage relationships with a wide array of stakeholders.

• Technical Documentation: Ability to produce clear, concise, and comprehensive documentation.

• Microsoft Office Suite: Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio for documentation and presentation purposes.

• Jira & Confluence: Experience using these tools for project management, issue tracking, and knowledge management.

Preferred Skills:

• Advanced ITIL certifications (e.g., ITIL Practitioner, ITIL Intermediate in Service Design or Service Transition).

• Experience with service modelling tools and techniques beyond basic documentation.

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and their application within IT service delivery.

• Understanding of DevOps principles and their impact on service design and transition.

• Experience in a large, complex, and potentially global organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for ITIL Foundation is explicitly stated. The implied experience level of 5-10 years for a "Manager" role in a company like BAE Systems suggests that candidates should be able to demonstrate strategic thinking and a proven ability to manage complex service design initiatives, not just execute tasks. The mention of "defence, aerospace and security solutions" implies that candidates with experience in high-security or regulated environments will be strongly preferred.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Service Design Pack Examples: Showcase 2-3 examples of comprehensive Service Design Packs (SDPs) you have developed, demonstrating your ability to document new services thoroughly, covering aspects like service capabilities, operational requirements, support models, and transition plans.

• Workshop Outputs: Include examples of artifacts produced from facilitated workshops, such as requirements documents, user stories, process flows, or service blueprints, highlighting your facilitation and documentation skills.

• Process Improvement Case Studies: Present a case study detailing a specific instance where your service design or transition efforts led to measurable improvements in service availability, user experience, or operational efficiency. Quantify the impact where possible.

• System Implementation Documentation: If applicable, include examples of documentation related to the implementation or integration of new IT services or systems, demonstrating your understanding of the operationalization phase.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Provide examples of how you have designed or documented complex IT service workflows, illustrating your understanding of process mapping and optimization.

• Transition Planning: Showcase documentation related to service transition plans, demonstrating your ability to outline the steps, resources, and timelines required for a successful service rollout.

• Performance Measurement Frameworks: Include examples of how you have contributed to defining metrics or frameworks for measuring the performance and success of newly designed IT services.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Service Design Manager role, a portfolio is crucial. It should not just list responsibilities but demonstrate tangible outputs and the impact of those outputs. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their portfolio items, explaining the context, their role, the process followed, the challenges overcome, and the quantifiable results achieved. The emphasis on "user-focused" design and "proactive service management" should be evident in the portfolio examples.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Circa £60,000 per annum. Note: This is stated as "circa," meaning approximately, and is dependent on the candidate's specific skills and experience.

Benefits:

• Financial Wellbeing Support: Resources and programs aimed at supporting employees' financial health.

• Personal Wellbeing Support: Initiatives focused on employees' overall personal well-being, potentially including health and mental health resources.

• Balanced Lifestyle Support: Programs and policies designed to promote a healthy work-life balance.

• Lifelong Learning Opportunities: Access to continuous learning and development resources to foster career growth.

• Hybrid Working Model: Flexibility to work remotely for a portion of the week, with 1 day on-site required.

• Pension Scheme: (Implied for a large UK employer like BAE Systems, though not explicitly listed).

• Holiday Entitlement: (Implied, standard for full-time roles).

• Potential for bonuses or performance-related pay: (Common in managerial roles, though not specified).

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week.

Note: The hybrid arrangement allows for some flexibility, but core working hours will be expected to align with team and business needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The stated salary of "circa £60,000" for a Service Design Manager in Preston, UK, aligns with mid-senior level roles in the tech and IT service management sector in the North West of England. This figure is competitive for a role requiring ITIL Foundation and specific design/transition experience. The benefits listed are employee-centric and focus on overall well-being and professional development, reflecting a modern employer's approach.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Defence, Aerospace, and Security Solutions. BAE Systems is a global leader in these sectors, providing advanced technology and integrated systems to governments and commercial customers worldwide. This context implies a high-stakes environment where reliability, security, and precision are paramount.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Implied by BAE Systems' global presence and industry standing). This means established processes, potential for diverse career paths, and a structured environment.

Founded: BAE Systems has a long history, with roots tracing back centuries through various mergers and acquisitions, signifying stability and extensive experience in its core industries.

Team Structure:

• Service Operations Team: The candidate will join an established, professional, and dynamic team currently experiencing sustained growth.

• International Enterprise Agenda: The team operates within a broad strategic context, likely involving international projects and stakeholders.

• Framework-Driven: The team works within an existing framework using standard, repeatable processes and templates, suggesting a need for adherence to established methodologies while also encouraging creativity.

• Autonomy & Flexibility: The culture encourages autonomy and flexibility to foster creativity and innovation within the established framework.

Methodology:

• Process-Oriented: The team utilizes standard, repeatable processes and templates.

• Collaborative Design: Emphasis on engaging workshops and cross-functional collaboration to shape service designs.

• Quality Assurance: Focus on producing high-quality documentation and ensuring accurate, comprehensive service design packs.

• Continuous Improvement: Encouragement of creativity and innovation to enhance service delivery.

Company Website: https://www.baesystems.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Working for BAE Systems in the defence sector means operating in a highly regulated and security-conscious environment. This will influence process rigor, documentation standards, and the importance of adherence to established frameworks. The "international Enterprise agenda" suggests a need for cultural awareness and the ability to work with diverse global teams.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-to-senior management level within IT Service Operations. It requires a blend of technical expertise in service design and transition, strong interpersonal skills for stakeholder management, and the ability to drive process adherence and improvements within a structured environment. The "Manager" title implies oversight of design activities and potentially leading junior team members or guiding project teams.

Reporting Structure: The Service Design Manager will likely report to a Head of Service Design, IT Operations Manager, or a similar senior leadership role within the IT function. They will work closely with Project Managers, Service Owners, and the Service Transition team.

Operations Impact: The Service Design Manager's work directly impacts the reliability, efficiency, and user satisfaction of IT services that underpin BAE Systems' critical defence, aerospace, and security operations. Effective service design ensures that technology solutions are fit for purpose, scalable, and support the organization's strategic objectives, contributing to operational effectiveness and security.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, such as user experience design for complex systems, or advanced service management frameworks.

• Leadership Progression: Advance to roles such as Head of Service Design, Head of IT Operations, or program-level IT leadership positions.

• Cross-Functional Roles: Transition into roles focused on broader IT strategy, enterprise architecture, or program management within BAE Systems.

• Continuous Learning: Leverage "lifelong learning opportunities" to gain advanced ITIL certifications, explore Agile/DevOps methodologies, or pursue leadership development programs.

• Industry Exposure: Gain extensive experience within the defence and aerospace sector, a field with unique challenges and technological advancements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of "sustained growth" and an "international Enterprise agenda" for the Service Operations team suggests that this role offers significant opportunities for professional development and career advancement within BAE Systems. The company's commitment to "lifelong learning" reinforces this.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, requiring 1 day per week on-site at the Preston, Lancashire location. This suggests a blend of focused individual work at home and collaborative, in-person engagement at the office.

Office Location(s): Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom. This location is a key operational hub for BAE Systems.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The on-site day is intended for collaboration, fostering teamwork, and engaging in face-to-face discussions with colleagues.

• Tooling: Access to standard Microsoft Office products, Jira, and Confluence for project management, documentation, and collaboration.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact with a professional and dynamic Service Operations team, contributing to a culture of creativity and innovation.

Work Schedule:

• The role is full-time, with an approximate working hours expectation of 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility, allowing for a balance between remote and on-site work, which can be beneficial for deep-focus tasks like documentation and design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is explicitly stated as "1 day per week on site." This is a key detail for candidates evaluating the practicality of the role. The Preston location is a significant site for BAE Systems, suggesting a well-equipped office environment conducive to both individual work and team collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and application to assess alignment with the core requirements, particularly ITIL Foundation and experience in service design/transition.

• Technical Interview: Likely to involve in-depth questions about ITSM principles, service design methodologies, ITIL processes, and your experience with tools like Jira and Confluence. You may be asked to walk through specific examples from your portfolio.

• Workshop Simulation/Case Study: Potential for a practical exercise where you're asked to outline how you would approach designing a service or facilitating a stakeholder workshop for a given scenario.

• Managerial/Stakeholder Interview: Discussion focused on your management style, stakeholder engagement approach, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit within the BAE Systems team.

• Final Interview: May involve a panel or senior leadership discussion to confirm suitability and discuss career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by service design project or by skill area (e.g., SDP examples, workshop facilitation artifacts, process improvement case studies).

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your solution (design approach), the process followed, and the measurable outcomes (e.g., reduced downtime, improved resolution times, enhanced user satisfaction scores).

• Showcase Collaboration: Highlight instances where you successfully collaborated with diverse stakeholders to achieve a common goal.

• Tool Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your experience with Microsoft Office, Jira, and Confluence, perhaps showing how you've used them to create effective documentation or manage workflows.

• Tailor to BAE Systems: If possible, subtly align your examples with the defence/aerospace context, emphasizing reliability, security, and process adherence.

Challenge Preparation:

• Service Design Scenario: Be ready to discuss how you would approach designing a new IT service for a hypothetical scenario, considering user needs, operational constraints, and transition requirements.

• Workshop Planning: Prepare to outline the steps you would take to plan and execute a stakeholder workshop for requirement gathering or problem-solving.

• Problem-Solving: Think about common IT service challenges (e.g., availability issues, poor user experience) and how you would approach diagnosing and designing solutions for them.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Manager" title, interviewers will be looking for demonstrated leadership potential, strategic thinking in service design, and the ability to navigate complex organizational structures and stakeholder relationships. The portfolio review will be a critical component, serving as tangible evidence of your capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Microsoft Office Suite: Essential for creating professional documentation, presentations, and reports (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio).

• Jira: A key tool for project tracking, issue management, workflow automation, and collaboration on development and implementation tasks.

• Confluence: Used for knowledge management, documentation storage, team collaboration, and creating wikis for service-related information.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• No specific CRM or automation tools are mentioned as primary requirements for this role, but an understanding of how ITSM tools interface with CRM or other business systems would be advantageous for holistic service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with Jira and Confluence is explicitly required. These tools are central to modern IT project management and collaboration, especially in agile or structured development environments. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their specific usage and best practices within these platforms.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Professionalism & Excellence: As part of BAE Systems, a strong emphasis on delivering high-quality, reliable solutions is expected.

• Innovation & Creativity: The team culture encourages autonomy and flexibility to foster creativity and innovation within established frameworks.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working with diverse stakeholders, fostering good collaboration and building trusted relationships.

• User Focus: Designing services with a primary aim of delivering positive User Experiences.

• Process Adherence & Improvement: Working within standard repeatable processes while seeking opportunities for optimization.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires close collaboration with project managers, service owners, and service transition teams, necessitating effective communication and integration across different functional areas.

• Workshop-Driven: A collaborative style centered around facilitated workshops to gather requirements and co-create solutions.

• Knowledge Sharing: The use of Confluence suggests a culture that values documenting and sharing knowledge to benefit the wider team and organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The combination of "established framework using standard repeatable processes/templates" and "Autonomy and flexibility is encouraged to foster creativity and innovation" suggests a culture that values structured execution but also empowers individuals to think critically and propose improvements. This balance is key to success in such roles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Rigor and Innovation: Navigating the need for strict adherence to defence industry standards and security protocols while fostering creative service design solutions.

• Complex Stakeholder Landscape: Managing the expectations and requirements of a diverse range of stakeholders across different departments and potentially international locations.

• Transitioning Complex Services: Ensuring the smooth and successful transition of intricate IT services into operational environments, where failure can have significant consequences.

• Keeping Pace with Technology: Continuously learning and adapting service design principles to incorporate emerging technologies and evolving business needs within the aerospace and defence sectors.

• Hybrid Work Coordination: Effectively managing collaboration and team cohesion in a hybrid work environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced ITSM Certifications: Pursue further ITIL qualifications (e.g., ITIL Manager, Service Design Specialization) or other relevant certifications.

• Agile & DevOps Training: Develop skills in Agile methodologies and DevOps practices to enhance service design and transition processes.

• Leadership Development Programs: BAE Systems' commitment to lifelong learning likely includes opportunities for leadership and management training.

• Industry Conferences & Seminars: Attend events focused on IT service management, service design, and defence technology to stay current with industry trends.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders or to mentor junior members of the Service Operations team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "sustained growth" of the team and the "international Enterprise agenda" imply that the Service Design Manager will be involved in evolving processes and potentially new service offerings, providing ample opportunity to tackle new challenges and drive impactful change.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Service Design Approach: "Describe your process for designing a new IT service from initial requirement gathering to operational handover. How do you ensure user needs are met and operational risks are mitigated?" (Prepare to discuss your experience with SDPs, user journeys, stakeholder workshops, and transition planning).

• Stakeholder Management: "How do you engage with and manage conflicting requirements from different stakeholders (e.g., project managers, service owners, end-users) during the service design phase?" (Focus on communication strategies, negotiation, and building consensus).

• Problem-Solving: "Describe a time you encountered a significant challenge during the service design or transition phase. What was the problem, how did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a STAR method answer with a focus on process, analysis, and resolution).

Company & Culture Questions:

• BAE Systems Context: "What do you understand about BAE Systems' role in the defence and aerospace industry, and how do you see service design contributing to our mission?" (Research BAE Systems' current projects, values, and strategic goals).

• Team Collaboration: "How would you integrate with our existing Service Operations team and contribute to a culture that balances process adherence with innovation?" (Discuss your collaborative style and how you foster creativity).

• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of a new IT service design and its transition into operation?" (Be prepared to discuss KPIs, metrics, and reporting relevant to service availability, performance, and user satisfaction).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Concise Storytelling: For each portfolio item, clearly articulate the context (the business need), your role, the process you followed, the key decisions made, the challenges encountered, and the quantifiable results achieved.

• Visual Aids: If presenting digitally, use clear slides with minimal text, highlighting key diagrams, process flows, or dashboard examples. Be ready to verbally elaborate.

• Focus on Impact: Emphasize the "so what?" – how your design work or process improvements delivered tangible benefits to the organization (e.g., cost savings, efficiency gains, improved security posture, enhanced user experience).

• Tool Demonstration: Be prepared to briefly explain how you used tools like Jira and Confluence to manage your work or document services.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely assess your ability to think strategically about service design within a complex, regulated environment. Demonstrating an understanding of ITIL, your practical experience with key tools, and your ability to articulate the business impact of your work will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the BAE Systems careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate a selection of your most relevant work samples, focusing on Service Design Packs, workshop outputs, and process improvement case studies. Ensure these highlight your ability to design for availability and user experience.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your CV to explicitly mention your ITIL Foundation certification, experience with IT Service Management, Service Design, and Service Transition, as well as proficiency in Jira, Confluence, and Microsoft Office. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Interview Practice: Prepare answers to common interview questions focusing on your service design methodology, stakeholder management skills, and experience with ITIL best practices. Practice presenting your portfolio items clearly and concisely.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research BAE Systems, its mission, its industry position, and its commitment to innovation. Understand how IT service design plays a role in supporting their defence, aerospace, and security solutions.

⚠️ 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.