Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer

Company: Atolye

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Job Type: Freelance / Contractor

Category: Service Design / Experience Design

Date Posted: 2026-07-24

Experience Level: Mid-level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid / On-site (Project-dependent)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is for building a roster of trusted freelance Service Designers to engage on a project-by-project basis for clients primarily in the UAE.

• Focus on designing integrated experience systems that connect strategy to behavior across physical, digital, and human touchpoints.

• Responsibilities include translating research into tangible working models, service blueprints, and strategic roadmaps.

• Requires a strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in at least one specialization: Digital Service Design, Community Design, Learning & Development (L&D), Consultancy, or Spatial Experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a call for a freelancer pool, not an immediate hire. The company will reach out when a suitable project arises, emphasizing the need for proactive engagement and maintaining a strong profile. The role is hybrid/on-site depending on project requirements, with a strong emphasis on client-facing work within the UAE market.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and develop end-to-end service experiences for digital products, platforms, and channels, integrating service design methodologies with UX and product thinking.

• Create and implement community engagement models, designing programmes and rituals that foster audience growth and sustained participation.

• Develop learning journeys, facilitation formats, and capability-building programs tailored for organizations undergoing transformation.

• Translate complex research findings into actionable business models, strategic positioning, and clear roadmaps for client engagements.

• Extend service design principles into physical and spatial touchpoints, including branches, campuses, retail, cultural, and hospitality environments.

• Collaborate closely with ATÖLYE 360's in-house teams, acting as an extension of their capabilities to deliver integrated experience systems.

• Conduct user research, workshops, and co-creation sessions to gather insights and validate design concepts.

• Produce comprehensive service design artifacts such as journey maps, service blueprints, user flows, and prototypes.

• Ensure seamless integration of strategy, design, architecture, and technology across all project deliverables.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of projects by identifying opportunities for innovation and future-proofing client solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a multidisciplinary approach where a single project could involve elements of service blueprinting, learning program design, spatial rollout, and community launch, indicating a need for versatile and adaptable designers.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Business Strategy, or a related field is highly beneficial. The emphasis is on demonstrable skills and experience rather than formal qualifications.

Experience: Proven, demonstrable experience in service design, with a minimum of 2-5 years of professional practice. Depth in at least one of the specified specializations (Digital Service Design, Community Design, L&D, Consultancy, Spatial Experience) is essential.

Required Skills:

• Service Design Craft: Expertise in journey mapping, service blueprints, user research, persona development, and ideation techniques.

• Prototyping & Model Building: Ability to translate research and concepts into tangible working models, prototypes, and service blueprints.

• Digital Service Design: Strong understanding of designing end-to-end digital customer journeys and integrating service design with UX/product thinking.

• Facilitation: Skilled in leading workshops, co-creation sessions, and stakeholder interviews.

• Research Translation: Aptitude for synthesizing qualitative and quantitative research into actionable business insights, models, and roadmaps.

• Cross-Cultural Communication: Ability to work effectively across diverse cultures and communicate fluently in English and/or Arabic.

• Client Engagement: Comfort and confidence in client-facing situations, presenting design concepts and strategic recommendations.

Preferred Skills:

• Community Design: Experience in designing engagement models and programmes for building and sustaining communities.

• Learning & Development Design: Expertise in designing learning journeys, facilitation formats, and capability-building programs.

• Spatial Experience Design: Ability to design services that extend into physical and spatial environments.

• Consulting Acumen: Background in strategy or consulting, with a strong business acumen.

• Business Modeling: Experience in developing and refining business models based on service design insights.

• Proficiency in Arabic: Ability to deliver work and communicate effectively in Arabic.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Collaborators" terminology implies a need for independent, self-starting professionals who can integrate seamlessly into existing project teams, bringing specialized expertise without requiring extensive onboarding. The emphasis on "proven, demonstrable skillset" suggests a portfolio is paramount.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Detailed case studies showcasing end-to-end service design projects, highlighting the problem, process, your role, deliverables, and impact.

• Artifact Examples: Clear examples of journey maps, service blueprints, user flows, personas, and prototypes developed for past projects.

• Specialization Depth: Evidence of deep expertise in at least one of the specialized areas (Digital, Community, L&D, Consultancy, Spatial).

• Impact Demonstration: Quantifiable results or qualitative outcomes achieved through your service design interventions (e.g., improved customer satisfaction, increased engagement, streamlined processes).

• Client Context: Projects should ideally reflect experience with clients in complex, rapidly changing environments or demonstrate adaptability to such contexts.

Process Documentation:

• Methodology Clarity: Demonstrate a clear understanding and application of various service design methodologies and frameworks.

• Research Application: Showcase how you translate raw research data into actionable insights and design strategies.

• Iterative Design: Illustrate your approach to iterative design, including prototyping, testing, and refinement cycles.

• Cross-Disciplinary Integration: Examples of how you've integrated service design with UX, product development, spatial design, or business strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the project-based nature and the company's focus on integrated experience systems, a portfolio that demonstrates versatility across different touchpoints (digital, physical, human) and the ability to connect strategy to tangible outcomes will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a freelance/contractor role, compensation will be project-specific and negotiated on a per-engagement basis. Rates are expected to be competitive within the UAE market for experienced service designers, taking into account the specialized nature of the work and the need for deep expertise. Freelancers should be prepared to invoice ATÖLYE 360.

• Estimated Freelance Day/Project Rate: AED 1,500 - AED 3,500+ per day, depending on project scope, duration, complexity, and the designer's specific expertise and track record. This is a benchmark based on typical freelance rates for specialized design roles in Dubai for mid-level professionals.

Benefits:

• Project Variety: Opportunity to work on diverse and challenging projects for leading organizations across the Middle East and Europe.

• Collaborative Environment: Integration with ATÖLYE 360's in-house team, offering a supportive and collaborative working dynamic.

• Professional Development: Exposure to complex strategic challenges and opportunities to hone skills across multiple design disciplines.

• Credit & Recognition: Collaborators are briefed, credited, and supported as integral members of the project team.

• Flexibility: Project-based engagements offer flexibility in workload and scheduling, allowing for a balance between multiple projects or other commitments.

Working Hours: Project-specific. Engagements may require full-time dedication during certain phases, while others might be part-time or on-demand. Flexibility is key, with specific hours determined by client needs and project timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation for freelance service designers in Dubai with 2-5 years of experience, based on market research for similar roles. Actual rates will depend on negotiation and specific project requirements.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Strategic Design & Innovation Consultancy. ATÖLYE operates at the intersection of strategy, design, architecture, and technology, serving clients navigating complex futures.

Company Size: ATÖLYE is a dynamic studio with a central Creative Hub in Dubai, supporting a network of collaborators. While the core team size isn't specified, the reliance on a roster of freelancers