Service Design Manager - On-site Abu Dhabi - Octopus by RTG (5 months contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Design Manager

Company: Octopus by RTG (part of Robusta Technology Group)

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Job Type: Contract (5 months)

Category: Service Design / Customer Experience (CX) Management

Date Posted: June 02, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (7+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and manage end-to-end service design initiatives, focusing on the seamless integration of digital, physical, and human touchpoints to create exceptional customer experiences.

• Drive strategic service design programs and business transformation efforts by developing comprehensive service blueprints, customer journey maps, and operating models.

• Facilitate executive-level workshops and co-creation sessions to align customer needs with overarching business objectives and operational strategies.

• Utilize a strong understanding of human-centered design principles and design thinking methodologies to identify service gaps, operational inefficiencies, and opportunities for innovation.

• Define and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and measurement frameworks to track service performance, ensure continuous improvement, and demonstrate measurable business impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 5-month contract, emphasizing the need for candidates who can quickly integrate, drive impactful change, and deliver tangible results within a defined timeframe. The emphasis on "Octopus by RTG" and "Robusta Technology Group" suggests a company focused on building global tech teams and delivering tailored hub solutions, which may imply a fast-paced, client-centric environment requiring adaptability and strong project management skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex service design engagements across multiple client projects, ensuring alignment with client goals and industry best practices.

• Develop and execute service design strategies that bridge customer needs with business objectives, fostering innovation and competitive advantage.

• Conduct in-depth qualitative and quantitative research, including user interviews and data analysis, to uncover customer pain points, behaviors, and unmet needs.

• Create and validate critical service design artifacts such as service blueprints, customer journey maps, ecosystem maps, and operating models.

• Facilitate high-impact executive-level workshops, co-creation sessions, and stakeholder alignment meetings to drive consensus and strategic decision-making.

• Proactively identify service gaps, operational inefficiencies, and opportunities for service innovation across customer journeys and internal organizational processes.

• Lead the prototyping and testing of new service concepts and solutions to validate assumptions and optimize user experiences before full-scale implementation.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with business consultants, researchers, UX/UI designers, process designers, and technology teams to ensure seamless and effective implementation of designed services.

• Define, track, and report on success metrics, KPIs, and measurement frameworks to monitor service performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Mentor and coach junior service designers, fostering their professional development and contributing to the overall growth of service design capabilities within the organization.

• Champion human-centered design methodologies and promote a customer-centric culture within client organizations and internal project teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level role requiring strategic leadership, hands-on execution of service design methodologies, and significant stakeholder influence. The mention of "client projects and industries" and "client organizations" indicates a consulting-like engagement model, where adaptability and client management are paramount.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in Service Design, Customer Experience (CX) strategy, Design Strategy, or related disciplines, with a strong focus on driving tangible business outcomes.

• Proven track record of successfully leading and managing complex service design programs, particularly within large or enterprise-level organizations.

Required Skills:

• Service Design Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of service design principles, methodologies, and frameworks.

• Customer Experience (CX) Strategy: Proven ability to conceptualize and implement holistic CX strategies that align with business goals.

• Design Strategy & Thinking: Proficiency in applying design thinking, human-centered design, and systems thinking to solve complex problems.

• Journey Mapping & Blueprinting: Advanced skills in creating and interpreting customer journey maps and service blueprints to identify key touchpoints and opportunities.

• Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to engage, influence, and manage relationships with senior executives, clients, and cross-functional teams.

• Workshop Facilitation: Demonstrated capability to design and lead effective workshops, co-creation sessions, and ideation exercises.

• Research & Insights: Strong skills in conducting qualitative and quantitative research to gather actionable customer insights.

• Prototyping & Testing: Experience in developing and testing service concepts to validate hypotheses and optimize user experiences.

• Communication & Storytelling: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a talent for storytelling and presenting complex ideas clearly and persuasively.

• Tool Proficiency: Hands-on experience with key service design and collaboration tools such as Miro, Figma, or Smaply.

Preferred Skills:

• Industry Experience: Prior experience working with clients in the telecommunications and/or financial services sectors, understanding their unique operational challenges and customer dynamics.

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Experience managing design teams, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to the development of service design capabilities.

• Business Process & Operating Model Design: Familiarity with business process re-engineering, operating model design, and broader organizational transformation initiatives.

• Arabic Language Proficiency: Ability to communicate effectively in Arabic, which is preferred for client interactions in the Abu Dhabi region.

📝 Enhancement Note: The minimum qualifications clearly indicate a need for seasoned professionals with a substantial track record. The preferred qualifications suggest that candidates with specific industry exposure and leadership experience will have a distinct advantage. The mention of Arabic language proficiency is a key differentiator for this role in Abu Dhabi.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Service Design Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing the end-to-end service design process for complex projects. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used, key artifacts developed (e.g., journey maps, blueprints), insights gained, solutions proposed, implementation considerations, and measurable outcomes.

• Impact Demonstration: Evidence of how your service design initiatives led to tangible business improvements, such as increased customer satisfaction, reduced operational costs, improved efficiency, or enhanced revenue. Quantifiable results are highly valued.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Evidence: Examples demonstrating your ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams, including business strategists, UX/UI designers, engineers, and operations personnel.

• Strategic Artifacts: Include examples of strategic deliverables like service blueprints, customer journey maps, ecosystem maps, and operating models, showcasing your ability to translate insights into actionable strategies.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Optimization: Demonstrate your ability to map existing service workflows, identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies, and design optimized processes that enhance customer experience and operational effectiveness.

• Methodology Application: Clearly outline the service design and design thinking methodologies you employed in your portfolio projects, explaining why specific approaches were chosen for different challenges.

• Metrics & Measurement: Showcase how you defined and tracked KPIs to measure the success of service design initiatives, including examples of performance dashboards or analytical reports.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Service Design Manager role, a portfolio is critical. It should not only display visual assets but also articulate the strategic thinking, process rigor, and business impact behind the design work. The emphasis is on demonstrating a systematic approach to solving complex service challenges and driving measurable outcomes for clients.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Given the contract nature, location (Abu Dhabi), and the seniority of the role (7+ years of experience), a competitive daily or monthly rate is expected. Based on industry benchmarks for senior Service Design Managers in the UAE, a range of AED 25,000 - AED 40,000 per month is a reasonable estimate. This range accounts for the specialized skills, leadership responsibilities, and the contract duration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimations are based on market research for similar contract roles in Abu Dhabi, considering the experience level, specific skill set (Service Design, CX), and the project-based nature. Actual compensation will be negotiated based on the candidate's experience, negotiation skills, and the client's budget.

Benefits:

As this is a 5-month contract role, comprehensive long-term benefits typically associated with permanent positions may not apply. However, standard contractor benefits often include:

• Competitive Contract Rate: A daily or monthly rate designed to compensate for specialized skills and the temporary nature of the engagement.

• Project-Based Bonuses: Potential for performance-based bonuses tied to project success and client satisfaction.

• Accident Insurance: Coverage for work-related injuries or accidents.

• Professional Development Opportunities: Access to internal workshops or resources that may enhance skills relevant to the project.

• Travel & Accommodation Support: Depending on the specific contract terms, there may be provisions for travel to Abu Dhabi and temporary accommodation.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility may be required to meet project deadlines and client needs, potentially involving occasional work outside standard hours.

• The role is on-site, requiring consistent presence at the designated Abu Dhabi location.

📝 Enhancement Note: Contract roles often have different benefit structures than permanent positions. Candidates should clarify the specific benefits, insurance coverage, and any potential for contract extension or conversion with the hiring team during the interview process.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Services, Consulting, Talent Solutions. Octopus by RTG operates within the tech talent and consulting space, enabling client organizations to build and scale their tech teams, particularly in AI. Robusta Technology Group, the parent company, has a strong background in delivering tech projects and building talent hubs.

Company Size: Octopus by RTG is part of Robusta Technology Group (RTG), which has a significant presence and a decade of experience, particularly in the Egyptian market. RTG has delivered over 300 projects. While Octopus is specialized in assembling global tech teams, the overall group size suggests a substantial organization with established processes and a broad reach.

Founded: Robusta Technology Group (RTG) was founded over a decade ago. Octopus by RTG is a specialized arm focused on talent solutions.

Team Structure:

• The Service Design Manager will be part of the "Experience Design team" at Octopus by RTG.

• This team likely comprises other design professionals, researchers, and strategists focused on client-facing projects.

• The role will involve close collaboration with client-side teams and potentially other functional teams within Octopus/RTG, such as talent acquisition and project management.

Methodology:

• Client-Centric Approach: Octopus by RTG focuses on creating "tailored hub solutions" and assembling teams "fully aligned with the culture and practices of a particular brand," indicating a strong emphasis on understanding and adapting to client needs.

• Data-Driven Insights: The role requires conducting "qualitative and quantitative research" to inform design decisions and "define success metrics, KPIs, and measurement frameworks" for continuous improvement.

• Agile & Iterative Design: While not explicitly stated, the nature of service design and client projects often involves iterative development, prototyping, and testing to refine solutions.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role emphasizes working with diverse teams to ensure feasibility and successful implementation.

Company Website: https://www.robustagroup.com/ (RTG's main site, Octopus may have a specific page or integration)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context suggests a dynamic environment focused on client success and talent solutions. The role likely involves working with a variety of clients and projects, requiring adaptability and a client-focused mindset. The emphasis on building "tailored hub solutions" implies a bespoke approach to service delivery.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a senior management level within the Service Design and CX domain. It requires significant experience (7+ years) and the ability to lead complex engagements, mentor junior staff, and influence senior stakeholders. The focus is on strategic impact and driving transformation through service design.

Reporting Structure: The Service Design Manager will report to a senior leader within the Experience Design team or a Program Director responsible for client project delivery. They will also work closely with client-side stakeholders, likely including CX leads, innovation managers, and operational heads.

Operations Impact: The core impact of this role is to enhance the client's service offerings and operational efficiency through human-centered design. This translates to improved customer satisfaction, increased loyalty, reduced operational costs, streamlined processes, and ultimately, a stronger competitive position for the client. The Service Design Manager is instrumental in translating customer needs into viable, desirable, and feasible business solutions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Contract Extension/Conversion: Successful delivery and positive client feedback could lead to an extension of the 5-month contract or even opportunities for full-time employment within Octopus by RTG or with one of their clients.

• Portfolio Expansion: The role offers a significant opportunity to add high-impact, diverse client projects to your professional portfolio, showcasing expertise in various industries and complex service transformations.

• Leadership Development: Mentoring junior designers and leading strategic initiatives provides opportunities to hone leadership and team management skills.

• Client Relationship Building: Developing strong relationships with clients can open doors to future consulting opportunities or strategic partnerships.

• Specialization: Gaining deeper experience in specific sectors (telecom, financial services) or service design specializations (e.g., digital transformation, operational efficiency) can lead to further career specialization.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a contract role, the primary growth is through project experience and portfolio building. However, strong performance can lead to further opportunities. The role offers a chance to work on high-visibility client projects, which is valuable for career progression in the CX and Service Design field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly "On-site" in Abu Dhabi. This implies working within a professional office environment, likely shared with other project teams and client representatives. The setting is expected to be collaborative and conducive to focused design work.

Office Location(s): Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Specific details about the office building or address would be provided upon engagement. Being on-site suggests proximity to client operations or a dedicated hub managed by Octopus by RTG.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, with meeting rooms, co-creation spaces, and potentially open-plan areas for team interaction.

• Technology Enabled: Access to essential technology, including robust internet connectivity, presentation tools, and potentially specialized design software and hardware, is expected.

• Client Interaction Focused: The workspace will facilitate direct interaction with clients, enabling real-time feedback, co-design sessions, and strategic alignment discussions.

• Dynamic Project-Based: Expect a dynamic work environment driven by project timelines and client demands, requiring adaptability and efficient time management.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is likely 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

• However, given the contract nature and client-facing responsibilities, flexibility may be required to accommodate client needs, project deadlines, and international time zones if collaborating with remote teams. This could involve occasional early mornings or late evenings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Abu Dhabi indicates a need for candidates willing to relocate or already based in the region. The work environment will be professional and likely fast-paced, reflecting the consulting and talent solutions nature of Octopus by RTG.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter from Octopus by RTG to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and understanding of contract roles.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth conversation with the Hiring Manager (likely a lead within the Experience Design team) to discuss your experience, approach to service design, leadership style, and understanding of client challenges.

3. Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key service design projects from your portfolio. Be prepared to walk through your process, methodologies, challenges, solutions, and the impact achieved. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your strategic thinking and practical execution.

4. Stakeholder/Client Interview (Potentially): Depending on the project, you might have an interview with a key client stakeholder to assess cultural fit and your ability to engage with their organization.

5. Final Assessment/Offer: A final review and offer extension.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your end-to-end service design capabilities, strategic thinking, and ability to drive measurable business outcomes. Prioritize complexity and impact.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, frame it as a narrative: the problem, your role and approach, the process, the key insights, the solution, and the results. Clearly articulate the "why" behind your decisions.

• Highlight Artifacts: Showcase your service blueprints, journey maps, operating models, and any prototypes. Explain what these artifacts revealed and how they informed your recommendations.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your projects. This could include improvements in customer satisfaction scores, efficiency gains, cost reductions, or revenue increases.

• Focus on Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with diverse teams and stakeholders to achieve project goals.

• Tailor to the Role: Understand Octopus by RTG's focus on client solutions and talent hubs. Frame your experience in a way that aligns with their business model.

Challenge Preparation:

• Service Design Scenario: Be prepared for a hypothetical service design challenge. This might involve diagnosing a problem based on a brief scenario and outlining your approach to solving it, including research methods, key artifacts, and potential solutions.

• Stakeholder Management Scenarios: Think about how you would handle challenging stakeholder conversations, manage conflicting priorities, or gain buy-in for your design recommendations.

• Methodology Justification: Be ready to explain why you choose certain design thinking or service design methods for particular problems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on your ability to articulate your experience and process through your portfolio. Candidates should prepare to be highly interactive and demonstrate strategic thinking rather than just listing past duties.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design Platforms: Miro, Figma, Smaply (Proficiency is required for these tools).

• Prototyping Tools: Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, or similar for creating interactive prototypes.

• Research & Analysis Tools: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Google Forms, Qualtrics for surveys; UserTesting.com or similar for remote user testing; potentially data analysis tools like Excel or Google Sheets for quantitative data.

• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams for team communication.

• Presentation Software: PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote for delivering presentations and workshop materials.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Excel, Google Sheets, potentially Tableau or Power BI for visualizing performance data and KPIs.

• CRM Systems: Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) can be beneficial for understanding customer data flows and touchpoints, though not explicitly required.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct requirement, understanding how service design integrates with CRM systems and business process automation tools is advantageous for holistic solution design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Miro, Figma, and Smaply is explicitly mentioned as required. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and proficiency with these tools during interviews. Familiarity with broader CX tech stacks is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the customer throughout the design and implementation process.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Valuing strong teamwork, open communication, and building partnerships with clients and internal teams to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation & Curiosity: A drive to explore new ideas, challenge existing norms, and continuously seek better ways to design and deliver services.

• Excellence & Impact: A dedication to delivering high-quality work that makes a measurable positive impact on clients' businesses and customer experiences.

• Adaptability & Agility: Thriving in dynamic environments, readily adapting to new challenges, client needs, and project requirements.

Collaboration Style:

• Facilitative Leadership: Leading by example, guiding teams and stakeholders through collaborative processes to arrive at optimal solutions.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively seeking to integrate design thinking and customer insights into the work of other functions, such as technology, operations, and marketing.

• Constructive Feedback: Fostering an environment where open, honest, and constructive feedback is shared to drive continuous improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across projects and teams to build collective expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values and collaboration style suggest a client-focused, dynamic, and team-oriented environment. Candidates should be prepared to articulate how they embody these values and contribute to a collaborative atmosphere.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging the Gap: Effectively translating complex customer insights and strategic vision into actionable, implementable service solutions that meet business viability and technical feasibility.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Navigating diverse stakeholder needs, priorities, and perspectives to achieve consensus and buy-in for design recommendations, especially within large client organizations.

• Contract Duration: Delivering significant impact and demonstrating value within a fixed 5-month contract period requires excellent prioritization, efficiency, and focus.

• Client-Specific Contexts: Adapting service design methodologies and solutions to the unique operational realities, cultures, and technological landscapes of various clients.

• Measuring ROI: Clearly defining and demonstrating the return on investment for service design initiatives, which can sometimes be intangible or have long-term impact.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Exposure: Gaining diverse experience across different client industries (telecom, financial services, etc.) can broaden your understanding of various business models and customer segments.

• Client-Facing Leadership: Enhancing skills in client management, strategic account development, and high-level stakeholder engagement.

• Specialized Skill Development: Deepening expertise in specific areas of service design, business transformation, or operational efficiency based on project needs.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, refining your coaching and leadership abilities.

• Networking: Building a professional network within the Abu Dhabi business community and with clients of Octopus by RTG.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the strategic and practical demands of the role. The growth opportunities emphasize professional development through hands-on experience and client interaction, particularly valuable for a contract position.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex service design challenge you faced and how you navigated it from research to implementation. What was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, decision-making, and impact.)

• "How do you balance customer desirability, business viability, and technical feasibility when designing a new service?" (Demonstrate your understanding of the core service design triangle.)

• "Walk us through how you would approach designing a new customer onboarding experience for a telecommunications company." (Be prepared to outline your methodology, key considerations, and expected artifacts.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Octopus by RTG and Robusta Technology Group, and why are you interested in this contract role?" (Research their mission, values, and focus on talent solutions.)

• "How would you integrate into a client's existing team and culture to drive service design initiatives effectively?" (Highlight your collaboration and change management skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, start with the business problem, your role, the scope, your approach (methodologies, tools), key insights, the solution, the implementation challenges, and the measurable results.

• Visual Storytelling: Use your artifacts (journey maps, blueprints, wireframes) to illustrate your points. Ensure they are clear, concise, and easy to understand.

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business value and customer benefits derived from your work. Quantify whenever possible.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your specific contributions, design decisions, and how you handled challenges.

• Conciseness is Key: Given the contract nature and likely time constraints, be direct and impactful in your presentation. Aim for clarity over excessive detail.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to present 1-2 strong case studies that clearly demonstrate their end-to-end service design process and measurable impact. The ability to articulate strategic thinking and collaborate effectively will be key.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workable link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 1-2 of your most impactful service design case studies that best demonstrate your experience in driving customer-centric solutions and business transformation. Ensure they clearly articulate your process, methodologies, and measurable results.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in Service Design, CX Strategy, Design Thinking, stakeholder management, and specific tools (Miro, Figma, Smaply). Quantify achievements wherever possible, focusing on outcomes and impact.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Rehearse a concise and compelling presentation of your selected portfolio case studies, focusing on the narrative, your strategic contribution, and the business impact.

• Research Octopus by RTG: Understand their business model, their focus on client solutions and talent hubs, and their position within the technology consulting landscape. Be ready to articulate why you are a good fit for their client-centric approach.

⚠️ 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.