Service Designer - 12 Month FTC

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer - 12 Month FTC

Company: Lloyds Banking Group

Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full time, Temporary

Category: Service Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-16

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and deliver seamless digital customer experiences, driving advocacy for Service Design principles across the organization.

• Collaborate effectively within agile teams to uncover priorities, visualize outcomes, and define project scope.

• Shape strategic initiatives by ensuring colleague, customer, and market insights lead the creation and enhancement of propositions and services.

• Actively participate in workshops and discussions with stakeholders to understand business context, needs, and risks, informing key decision-making.

• Document current and future state services, supporting research and analysis to inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 12-month fixed-term contract (FTC), indicating a project-based need or a specific initiative requiring dedicated Service Design expertise for a defined period. The emphasis on advancing the practice of Service Design suggests the company is looking to mature its approach to user-centric design and integrate it more deeply into their GTM strategy.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Work within agile teams to define project scope, visualize outcomes, and uncover priorities.

• Lead research and documentation of current and future state services, creating service maps and user journey visualizations.

• Shape strategic initiatives by integrating customer, colleague, and market insights into service and proposition development.

• Facilitate workshops and stakeholder discussions to gather requirements, understand business context, and inform decision-making.

• Communicate design decisions and user perspectives to stakeholders, managing expectations and incorporating diverse viewpoints.

• Make informed design decisions, championing the user perspective and constructively challenging constraints.

• Actively participate in the broader design community to share knowledge, foster innovation, and embed design principles across product, service, and customer journeys.

• Take ownership of personal development and continuous learning within the Service Design discipline.

• Collaborate closely with other designers, product owners, and engineering teams to ensure cohesive service delivery.

• Advocate for and advance the practice of Service Design across various product and service development initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design work and strategic advocacy, typical of a mid-to-senior level Service Designer. The emphasis on "advancing the practice" suggests this role may involve mentoring or training less experienced team members, or contributing to the development of internal design frameworks and standards.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Business, or a related field is highly beneficial. A strong portfolio demonstrating practical application of design principles is paramount.

Experience: 5-10 years of progressive experience in Service Design, UX Design, or a closely related field, with a proven track record of shaping and delivering successful digital and service propositions. Experience within the financial services sector is a significant advantage.

Required Skills:

• Service Design Methodologies: Deep understanding and practical application of service design frameworks, tools, and techniques (e.g., service blueprints, journey mapping, user research, prototyping).

• Agile Team Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively and contribute as a valued member of agile development teams.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent skills in engaging with, influencing, and managing expectations of diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership.

• User Research & Insights: Proficiency in conducting user research, synthesizing findings, and translating insights into actionable design recommendations.

• Design Thinking: Strong application of design thinking principles to solve complex problems and drive innovation.

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to shape strategic initiatives by connecting user needs with business objectives and market trends.

• Communication & Presentation: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

• Problem-Solving: Innovative and proactive approach to identifying and solving complex design and service challenges.

• Relationship Building: Strong interpersonal skills to build credibility and foster collaborative relationships across teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Financial Services Experience: Familiarity with the regulatory landscape, customer expectations, and operational complexities of the financial services industry.

• Digital Product Development: Experience in designing and launching digital products and services.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency with relevant prototyping and design software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Axure).

• Service Mapping & Blueprinting: Advanced skills in creating detailed service maps and blueprints to visualize end-to-end service delivery.

• Change Management: Understanding of change management principles to facilitate the adoption of new services and ways of working.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5-10 Years" experience level, combined with the responsibilities, suggests this role requires an individual who can operate with a high degree of autonomy and influence. The emphasis on "advancing the practice" implies a need for someone who can not only execute but also guide and elevate the team's design capabilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Comprehensive case studies showcasing end-to-end service design projects, detailing the problem, your role, the process followed, key insights, design solutions, and measurable outcomes.

• Service Blueprints/Maps: Examples of detailed service blueprints or journey maps that illustrate current and future state services, highlighting touchpoints, user actions, backstage processes, and pain points.

• User Research Synthesis: Demonstrations of how user research was conducted, analyzed, and translated into design decisions and strategic recommendations.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Examples of wireframes, low-fidelity prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that illustrate design concepts and user flows.

• Stakeholder Engagement Examples: Evidence of how you have collaborated with and influenced stakeholders, managed expectations, and incorporated feedback into the design process.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase instances where you have designed or optimized complex workflows to improve user experience and operational efficiency.

• Implementation & Automation: Provide examples of how your designs have been implemented, potentially leveraging technology or automation to enhance service delivery.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrate how you have defined metrics to measure the success of designed services and analyzed performance to identify areas for further improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Service Design role, the portfolio is critical. It should not just showcase final deliverables but the thinking process behind them, demonstrating how user needs were identified, how solutions were iterated upon, and how business objectives were met. Emphasis on measurable outcomes and ROI will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £61,344 - £68,160 per annum. This range is provided directly in the job description. Based on the location (Edinburgh, UK) and experience level (5-10 years), this salary range aligns with industry standards for experienced Service Designers in the financial services sector in major UK cities.

Benefits:

• Pension Contribution: A generous pension contribution of up to 15%.

• Performance Bonus: An annual performance-related bonus, reflecting individual and company success.

• Share Schemes: Access to share schemes, including free shares, offering ownership and long-term financial participation.

• Lifestyle Discounts: Benefits that can be adapted to lifestyle needs, such as discounted shopping.

• Holiday Allowance: 30 days of annual holiday, in addition to bank holidays, providing ample time for rest and rejuvenation.

• Wellbeing Initiatives: A range of wellbeing programs and support systems to promote employee health and welfare.

• Parental Leave: Generous parental leave policies to support employees during significant life events.

Working Hours: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. The role supports a hybrid working model, requiring at least two days per week (or 40% of time) in the Edinburgh office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a senior Service Designer role in Edinburgh. The benefits package is comprehensive, typical of a large, established organization like Lloyds Banking Group, and highlights a commitment to employee well-being and financial security. The explicit mention of "Flexibility Works policy" and "workplace adjustments" for colleagues with disabilities underscores the company's commitment to inclusivity.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial institutions, offering a wide range of banking and financial services. This industry context means a strong focus on customer trust, security, regulatory compliance, and innovation to meet evolving customer needs.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (likely 50,000+ employees globally, based on typical Lloyds Banking Group scale). This size offers stability, extensive resources, and opportunities for large-scale impact, but also requires navigating established processes and organizational structures.

Founded: 2009 (Lloyds Banking Group as it is known today, formed through mergers of historic banks like Lloyds Bank, TSB, and Halifax). This heritage suggests a blend of traditional banking values with a forward-looking approach to modernizing services.

Team Structure:

• Operations Focus: The Service Designer will likely be embedded within agile product or digital transformation teams, working collaboratively with Product Owners, UX/UI Designers, Engineers, Researchers, and Business Analysts.

• Reporting: While specific reporting lines are not detailed, it's common for Service Designers in large organizations to report into a Head of Design, Head of Digital, or a senior leader within a product/technology function.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role inherently requires extensive collaboration across various departments, including customer service, marketing, technology, and business strategy, to ensure a holistic service experience.

Methodology:

• Agile & Lean Principles: The company emphasizes working in agile teams, suggesting a methodology focused on iterative development, continuous feedback, and rapid adaptation.

• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and serving customer needs, evidenced by the emphasis on user research and insight-driven design.

• Data-Driven Decisions: While not explicitly stated for this role, large financial institutions typically leverage data analytics to inform strategy and measure the impact of initiatives.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A culture that encourages exploring new ideas and refining existing processes and services.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Lloyds Banking Group's scale and industry position mean that a Service Designer here will work on initiatives with significant customer impact. The "12 Month FTC" suggests a specific project or transformation effort, likely within a dedicated team focused on enhancing digital customer journeys or launching new services.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, requiring significant autonomy and the ability to influence design strategy and practice. It's a role for an experienced practitioner who can not only execute but also guide and advocate for best practices.

Reporting Structure: The Service Designer will likely report into a Design Lead, Product Lead, or Head of Digital within a specific business unit or transformation program. They will work closely with agile teams, product owners, and various business stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The Service Designer's impact is directly tied to improving customer experience, driving digital adoption, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately contributing to the Group's business objectives (e.g., customer retention, acquisition, operational efficiency, and revenue growth).

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of Service Design, such as customer journey mapping, service blueprinting, or user research for complex financial products.

• Leadership: Transition into a Lead Service Designer or Design Manager role, mentoring junior designers and leading larger design initiatives.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain exposure to various business units and product areas within Lloyds Banking Group, broadening understanding of the financial services landscape.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to learn and apply new design tools, techniques, and methodologies, potentially through internal training or external certifications.

• Strategic Influence: Develop stronger strategic planning and stakeholder management skills, influencing the direction of digital transformation and service innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a 12-month FTC, the "growth" might be more focused on the project experience gained rather than a defined long-term career path within the company. However, the skills and experience acquired would be highly valuable for future roles, both within Lloyds Banking Group and the broader financial services industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This involves a mix of remote work and in-office presence, with a requirement to spend at least two days per week (40% of time) at the Edinburgh office.

Office Location(s): Edinburgh Citymark, 150 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. This location is a modern office space designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The Edinburgh office likely features various collaborative zones, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated design studios to support teamwork and workshops.

• Technology & Tools: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized design software and hardware provided by the company.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for face-to-face interaction with team members and stakeholders, fostering strong working relationships and facilitating spontaneous problem-solving.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) with a hybrid arrangement offering flexibility in where work is performed, balanced with the need for in-office collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is designed to balance flexibility with the benefits of in-person collaboration, crucial for design thinking workshops and team cohesion. Candidates should be comfortable with a structured hybrid approach.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess suitability against the core requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focusing on your experience, motivation for the role, and understanding of Service Design principles.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: You will likely be asked to present a selection of your work from your portfolio, demonstrating your process, impact, and strategic thinking. A practical design challenge may also be included to assess your problem-solving and design skills in a relevant context.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential colleagues and stakeholders to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and ability to influence.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 strong case studies that best represent your Service Design capabilities, focusing on projects with measurable impact.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodology used, key insights derived from research, your design process, the solutions developed, and the tangible outcomes or learnings.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your design thinking process, research methods, and how you collaborated with others. Show, don't just tell, your problem-solving approach.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced customer effort, increased satisfaction scores).

• Tailor to Lloyds: Research Lloyds Banking Group's current initiatives, values, and customer focus to tailor your presentation and highlight how your skills align with their strategic goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a design challenge is provided beforehand, thoroughly analyze the brief, identify key constraints, and consider the target audience and business objectives.

• Structure Your Approach: Prepare to articulate your approach step-by-step, outlining your research methods, ideation process, design decisions, and how you would measure success.

• Focus on Process: Even if you don't have a perfect solution, demonstrating a robust and user-centered design process is crucial.

• Be Ready to Justify: Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design choices and how they address the challenge's requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Service Designer role, especially at a company like Lloyds, will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio. It's essential to showcase not just visual design but the strategic thinking and user-centered methodology behind it. The 12-month FTC nature might mean a slightly more condensed interview process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Axure RP (for wireframing, prototyping, and detailed design).

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar for remote usability testing and feedback collection.

• Collaboration & Whiteboarding: Miro, Mural, Confluence, Jira (for agile team collaboration, process mapping, and documentation).

• Presentation Software: PowerPoint, Google Slides (for presenting findings, strategies, and designs to stakeholders).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (to understand user behavior on digital platforms).

• Customer Feedback Tools: SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, or internal feedback mechanisms to gather qualitative insights.

• BI Tools: Tableau, Power BI (potentially used by the wider team for data visualization and reporting).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics (understanding how customer data is managed is beneficial).

• Workflow Automation: While not directly designing automation, understanding how services can be streamlined through technology is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design and collaboration tools is expected. The ability to interpret data from analytics and feedback tools to inform design decisions is a significant advantage, bridging the gap between design and measurable business outcomes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring that all design decisions prioritize the customer experience.

• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the highest ethical standards, crucial in the financial services sector, and building trust with customers and colleagues.

• Collaboration: A belief in the power of teamwork, encouraging open communication and shared ownership across diverse teams.

• Innovation: A drive to explore new ideas, challenge the status quo, and continuously seek better ways to serve customers and improve services.

• Excellence: Striving for high quality in all aspects of work, from research and design to implementation and ongoing service improvement.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively working with product, engineering, marketing, and business teams to ensure a holistic and cohesive service offering.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback exchange within design teams and with cross-functional partners to refine designs and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: A proactive approach to sharing insights, best practices, and learnings within the design community and across the organization.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to iterate based on feedback and changing requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Lloyds Banking Group emphasizes a "values-led culture." A Service Designer should demonstrate how their work aligns with these values, particularly customer-centricity, integrity, and collaboration, and how they contribute to the company's purpose of "helping Britain prosper."

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Large Organizations: Adapting to the complexities of a large, established financial institution, including established processes, stakeholder layers, and potential resistance to change.

• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Effectively advocating for user-centric solutions while understanding and integrating business objectives, regulatory requirements, and technical feasibility.

• Measuring Service Impact: Developing robust methods to measure the qualitative and quantitative impact of service design initiatives, especially for a 12-month FTC.

• Driving Design Adoption: Championing and embedding service design principles and practices within diverse agile teams that may have varying levels of design maturity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of evolving customer expectations and digital trends in financial services.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gaining deeper insights into business strategy, product management, and technology within a major financial institution.

• Mentorship: Potential to learn from senior leaders and experienced designers within the group.

• Networking: Building a professional network within the UK financial services and design communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an FTC role, the primary "growth" is often the exposure to large-scale projects and complex organizational dynamics. The candidate should be ready to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact, leveraging their existing expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you successfully advocated for a user-centric solution that challenged existing business constraints. How did you approach it?" (Focus on your influence, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.)

• "How would you approach designing a new digital service for [specific customer segment relevant to LBG, e.g., first-time homebuyers, small business owners]?" (Demonstrate your end-to-end service design process, from research to ideation and validation.)

• "How do you measure the success of a service design initiative, particularly within a fixed timeframe like a 12-month contract?" (Highlight your understanding of KPIs, metrics, and how to tie design efforts to business outcomes.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working for Lloyds Banking Group, and what do you know about our purpose 'to help Britain prosper'?" (Research LBG's mission, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "How do you see Service Design contributing to the goals of a large financial institution?" (Connect your role to LBG's strategic objectives and customer impact.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with non-designers, such as engineers and product managers?" (Showcase your communication skills and ability to build relationships.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of your career and design philosophy. Then, present 2-3 detailed case studies. For each, cover: Problem Statement, Your Role & Responsibilities, Research & Insights, Design Process & Iterations, Solution(s), and Outcomes/Learnings.

• Visuals: Use clear, concise visuals such as journey maps, service blueprints, wireframes, and high-fidelity mockups. Avoid text-heavy slides.

• Narrative: Focus on the "story" of each project – the challenge, your approach, and the impact. Explain your why behind design decisions.

• Engagement: Be prepared for questions throughout your presentation. Engage with the interviewers, ask clarifying questions, and be open to feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their design process in detail, emphasizing how they use research and data to inform decisions and achieve measurable outcomes. Understanding Lloyds Banking Group's specific context and challenges within the financial services industry will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Lloyds Banking Group careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to highlight 2-3 of your most impactful Service Design projects. Prioritize case studies that demonstrate end-to-end design thinking, user research application, and measurable business outcomes relevant to financial services.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords such as "Service Design," "Agile," "User Research," "Stakeholder Management," "Digital Experience," and "Financial Services." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio with a clear narrative, focusing on your process and impact. Prepare to discuss your approach to common Service Design challenges and how you would contribute to Lloyds Banking Group's customer-centric goals.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Lloyds Banking Group's mission, values, current initiatives, and their approach to digital transformation. Understand their commitment to "helping Britain prosper" and how your role as a Service Designer contributes to this.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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