Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer

Company: Government of Alberta

Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Category: User Experience (UX) / Service Design

Date Posted: June 1, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end service design for shared platform products, defining reusable patterns, service journeys, and scalable design approaches that support consistent delivery across ministries within the Government of Alberta's Technology and Innovation ministry.

• Drive research and insight generation, planning and leading discovery activities, translating findings into clear design direction, priorities, and service improvements for digital public services.

• Provide senior service design guidance across cross-functional teams, influencing platform direction, aligning design with delivery and technical constraints, and promoting reuse and consistency for Government-as-Platform initiatives.

• Shape AI-enabled and automated service interactions, ensuring designs are transparent, user-centered, and aligned with public service expectations for trust, accessibility, and ethical AI use.

• Ensure service quality and continuous improvement by leveraging testing, analytics, and feedback to refine services and maintain high-quality, reusable design artifacts within a government context.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for the Government of Alberta's "Government-as-Platform" initiative, focusing on developing and enhancing common digital public services. The emphasis on reusable patterns, cross-ministry consistency, and AI integration suggests a strategic position focused on scalability and efficiency in public service delivery. The classification as "System Analyst 3" indicates a senior-level role with significant responsibility for design strategy and implementation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Service Design Leadership: Spearhead the comprehensive service design process for shared platform products, including Alberta.ca Account, Alberta Wallet, eServices, and Alberta Payments, ensuring a cohesive and user-centric experience.

• Research and Insight Translation: Plan and execute discovery activities, including user research, stakeholder interviews, and competitive analysis, to generate actionable insights that inform service design decisions and strategic priorities.

• Cross-Functional Influence and Alignment: Collaborate with product managers, developers, policy advisors, and other stakeholders to translate complex business, policy, and technical requirements into clear service design direction and reusable components.

• AI and Automation Integration: Design and advocate for the ethical and effective integration of AI and automation into public services, ensuring transparency, user control, and adherence to government standards for trust and accessibility.

• Design System and Pattern Development: Define, document, and promote the use of reusable service design patterns, templates, and components to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across government digital services.

• Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement: Implement robust testing strategies (e.g., usability testing, A/B testing) and leverage analytics and user feedback to iteratively refine service designs and ensure ongoing service quality and user satisfaction.

• Accessibility and Inclusive Design Advocacy: Champion accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and inclusive design principles throughout the service design lifecycle, ensuring digital services are usable by all Albertans.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Communication: Effectively communicate design rationale, research findings, and strategic recommendations to diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership, technical teams, and operational staff.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on strategic design thinking, research-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration within a government framework. The emphasis on "Government-as-Platform" implies a need for designing scalable, reusable, and interoperable services that can be leveraged by multiple ministries and programs, requiring a deep understanding of systems thinking and a commitment to standardization.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A university degree in a related field such as Computer Science, Information Technology, UX Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline.

• Equivalencies: A related master’s degree with 4+ years of experience; a related two-year diploma with 7+ years of experience; or a related one-year certificate with 8+ years of experience. Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in service design, UX design, or a closely related discipline.

• Proven experience designing end-to-end services, defining reusable design patterns, and mapping cross-service journeys.

• Experience applying research findings and user insights to inform design decisions in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.

• Experience working within design systems and leveraging design and prototyping tools.

• Experience with AI fluency, including the practical application of generative AI tools for research, analysis, and design, with an ability to assess quality and risk. Required Skills:

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

• User Research & Synthesis: Ability to plan, conduct, and analyze user research (interviews, usability testing, co-design) to generate actionable insights.

• Figma Proficiency: Demonstrated skill in using Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and collaborative design.

• Generative AI Application: Practical experience using generative AI tools to support design processes, with critical evaluation skills.

• Design Systems: Experience working with or contributing to design systems for consistency and scalability.

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity and experience working within Agile development environments and cross-functional technical teams.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to translate complex requirements into user-centered design solutions.

• Communication & Influence: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively present design rationale and influence stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing platform products or shared services utilized across multiple programs or organizations.

• Experience designing AI-enabled or data-informed services.

• Experience working in public sector or other highly regulated environments.

• Experience designing for high-trust services (e.g., identity, authentication, credentials, payments).

• Knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and inclusive design practices.

• Experience conducting primary user research directly with members of the public.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of foundational UX/Service Design skills with emerging capabilities in AI and platform design. The equivalencies and preference for public sector experience suggest a role that values both deep expertise and practical adaptability within a government context. The specific mention of Figma and Generative AI provides clear technical expectations for candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Service Design Case Studies: Showcase at least two comprehensive case studies detailing your process from initial research and discovery through to final design recommendations and implementation considerations for complex services.

• Research and Insight Documentation: Include examples of research plans, participant recruitment strategies, synthesis of findings (e.g., personas, journey maps, affinity diagrams), and how these insights directly influenced design decisions.

• Design Artifacts: Present examples of wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and final UI designs, demonstrating your proficiency with tools like Figma and adherence to design system principles.

• AI Integration Examples: If possible, include examples where you have leveraged AI tools in your design process, highlighting the specific application, benefits, and any considerations for quality or user impact.

• Demonstration of Reusability and Scalability: Highlight projects where you have designed reusable patterns, components, or scalable service architectures, explaining the impact on efficiency and consistency.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design and Optimization: Clearly articulate your process for mapping existing service workflows, identifying pain points, and designing optimized future-state workflows that enhance user experience and operational efficiency.

• User-Centered Design Lifecycle: Demonstrate your understanding and application of a structured, user-centered design process, including phases for discovery, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Protocols: Provide examples of how you have documented and managed collaboration with various teams (e.g., development, policy, product management) to ensure alignment and effective delivery of design solutions.

• Measurement and Performance Analysis: Showcase how you have incorporated metrics and feedback loops into your design process to measure service performance, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate the impact of design interventions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Service Designer role, particularly within a government context, the portfolio should emphasize process and impact. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their methodologies, demonstrate how they translate research into actionable design, and showcase how their work contributes to broader strategic goals like efficiency, accessibility, and consistency across multiple services.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $100,407 - $132,993 per year (CAD)

• Bi-weekly: $3,847.03 to $5,095.52

Benefits:

• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP): Comprehensive pension plan providing long-term financial security.

• Professional Learning and Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, skill enhancement, and professional growth, supported by the organization.

• Positive Workplace Culture: Emphasis on a supportive and collaborative work environment.

• Work-Life Balance: Commitment to promoting healthy work-life integration for employees.

• Leadership and Mentorship Programs: Access to programs designed to foster leadership skills and provide guidance from experienced professionals.

• Health and Wellness Programs: Access to resources and programs supporting employee well-being.

Working Hours:

• 36.25 hours per week.

• Typically Monday to Friday, with 7.25 hours per day.

• The government offers flexibility in work schedules where operational needs permit, aligning with a focus on work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a senior-level Service Designer in Edmonton, Alberta. The benefits package is robust, typical of public sector employment, with a strong emphasis on long-term financial security and professional development. The stated working hours are standard, but the mention of flexibility suggests potential for some schedule accommodation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Government / Public Sector Technology & Innovation

Company Size: Large (Government Agency)

Founded: The Government of Alberta has a long history, with the Ministry of Technology and Innovation focusing on modernizing public services.

Team Structure:

• Ministry: Technology and Innovation (TI)

• Division: Digital Design and Delivery (DDD)

• Branch: Platforms Branch

• Role Reporting: Reports to the Director, Platform Strategy.

• Collaboration: Works closely with product teams, other ministries, and cross-functional technical teams. The DDD division emphasizes user-centered agile processes.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Agile Processes: The DDD division leads the development of digital public services using modern, user-centered, and agile methodologies.

• Government-as-Platform: Focus on developing common platform services that enable product teams across ministries to deliver user needs efficiently and consistently.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leverages research, analytics, and user feedback to inform design and service improvements.

• Reusability and Scalability: Designs are intended to be reusable patterns and scalable solutions to maximize efficiency and consistency across the government.

Company Website: https://www.alberta.ca/technology-and-innovation

📝 Enhancement Note: The Government of Alberta, specifically the Ministry of Technology and Innovation, is focused on leveraging technology to drive economic growth and modernize public services. The Digital Design and Delivery division operates with a modern, agile approach, aiming to create efficient, user-friendly digital experiences for Albertans. The "Government-as-Platform" initiative is a key strategic driver, emphasizing shared services and reusable components.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: System Analyst 3 / Senior Service Designer

This role represents a senior-level position within the Government of Alberta's digital services framework. It requires significant experience and the ability to lead complex design initiatives, influence strategic direction, and mentor junior team members. The classification as "System Analyst 3" suggests a significant level of technical and analytical responsibility beyond pure design execution.

Reporting Structure:

The Service Designer reports directly to the Director, Platform Strategy. This indicates a direct line of communication to senior leadership responsible for the strategic direction of platform services. The role will also collaborate extensively with various product teams, ministry stakeholders, and technical leads.

Operations Impact:

The work of the Service Designer directly impacts the efficiency, accessibility, and usability of critical public services for Albertans. By designing reusable platform components and user-centered experiences, this role contributes to:

• Improved Citizen Experience: Making government services easier to access and use.

• Increased Government Efficiency: Reducing redundant development efforts and promoting shared resources.

• Enhanced Digital Transformation: Driving innovation and modernizing public service delivery.

• Cost Savings: Through the reuse of design patterns and platform services.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like AI-enabled services, identity and trust platforms, or specific public sector domains.

• Leadership: Progress into roles like Lead Service Designer, Design Manager, or Director within the DDD or related divisions.

• Cross-Ministry Experience: Gain exposure to a wide range of public service challenges and opportunities across different government departments.

• Policy Influence: Contribute to shaping digital service policies and standards for the Government of Alberta.

• Skill Development: Continuous opportunities to learn and apply new technologies and design methodologies, particularly in AI and platform design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers substantial opportunities for growth within the public sector. The emphasis on platform strategy and government-wide initiatives means that successful candidates can build a career by driving significant, impactful change in how citizens interact with government services. The progression path typically involves increasing strategic influence and leadership responsibilities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Government Ministry Office

The role is based in Edmonton, Alberta, within a government ministry office. This implies a professional, structured work environment that adheres to public sector standards and protocols.

Office Location(s): Edmonton, Alberta. Specific office details are not provided but can be assumed to be centrally located within the city, offering standard government office amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The Digital Design and Delivery (DDD) division fosters collaboration, working in agile teams with designers, developers, product managers, and policy advisors.

• Technology & Tools: Access to standard government IT infrastructure, including necessary software for design (Figma), collaboration, and communication. The role requires proficiency with design and prototyping tools, and likely exposure to government-specific systems.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with colleagues through team meetings, design critiques, workshops, and project-specific collaborations. The emphasis on agile means frequent touchpoints with cross-functional teams.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (36.25 hours per week), typically Monday to Friday.

• The government environment generally supports work-life balance, with potential for some flexibility in daily start/end times, subject to operational requirements and manager approval.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment is characteristic of a large government organization, balancing structured processes with a modern, agile approach to digital service delivery. Collaboration is key, and the role is embedded within teams focused on innovation and modernization.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

The Government of Alberta typically employs a structured interview process designed to assess competencies and qualifications thoroughly. It may include:

• Initial Screening: Review of application materials (resume, cover letter) for minimum qualifications.

• Competency-Based Interview: A panel interview focusing on behavioral questions designed to assess the APS Competencies. Candidates will be asked to provide specific examples of past experiences demonstrating required skills and competencies.

• Portfolio Review/Presentation: Candidates may be asked to present their portfolio, showcasing key case studies and explaining their design process, rationale, and impact. This is a critical component for a Service Designer role.

• Scenario-Based Assessment: Potential for a design challenge or scenario-based exercise to assess problem-solving and design thinking skills in real-time.

• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to assess strategic fit and overall suitability.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process you followed, the solutions you designed, the outcomes achieved, and lessons learned.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, journey maps, research synthesis) to illustrate your process and design decisions. Be prepared to explain the rationale behind each artifact.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify outcomes where possible (e.g., improved task completion rates, reduced user errors, increased efficiency). If quantitative data is unavailable, articulate the qualitative impact on user experience and government objectives.

• Demonstrate Process Versatility: Showcase experience with various research methods, design techniques, and tools, including Figma and generative AI.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that demonstrate experience with platform design, reusable patterns, cross-functional collaboration, and ideally, public sector or high-trust services.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the APS Competencies: Thoroughly review the Alberta Public Service Competency Model and prepare STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method examples for each.

• Research Government-as-Platform: Familiarize yourself with the Government of Alberta's digital strategy, the goals of the Platforms branch, and the specific services mentioned (Alberta.ca Account, Alberta Wallet, etc.).

• Practice Design Thinking: Be ready to articulate your approach to problem-solving, user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing in the context of government service design.

• Prepare for AI Questions: Be ready to discuss your experience with generative AI, its potential applications in service design, and ethical considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process emphasizes competency-based assessment and a thorough review of the candidate's practical experience via their portfolio. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process and demonstrate how their skills align with the specific needs of designing public digital services within a government framework.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a required proficiency. This will be the primary tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and potentially collaboration within design systems.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools may be beneficial for diverse project needs.

• Design Systems: Experience working with, contributing to, or establishing design systems is a key asset.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar platforms to track user behavior and service performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or internal government dashboards for reporting on service usage and impact.

• User Feedback Platforms: Tools for collecting and analyzing user feedback (e.g., surveys, feedback widgets).

CRM & Automation:

• ServiceNow (or similar): While not explicitly mentioned, government IT often utilizes platforms like ServiceNow for service management, ticketing, and workflow automation. Understanding such systems can be advantageous.

• Project Management Tools: Proficiency with Agile project management tools such as Jira, Confluence, Asana, or Trello for task tracking, collaboration, and documentation.

• AI Tools: Practical use of generative AI tools for research, content generation, ideation, or design assistance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirement is proficiency in Figma. However, a strong Service Designer in this context will likely also need to be comfortable with various analytics, project management, and potentially government-specific IT platforms to effectively integrate design into broader service delivery workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Albertans through intuitive and accessible digital services.

• Excellence in Service Delivery: Striving for high-quality, reliable, and efficient public services that meet or exceed citizen expectations.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: Working effectively across diverse teams and ministries to achieve common goals and leverage collective expertise.

• Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Embracing new technologies and methodologies (like AI and agile) to constantly enhance service design and delivery.

• Integrity and Trust: Upholding public trust by designing transparent, secure, and ethical services, particularly for high-trust applications.

• Efficiency and Reusability: Designing solutions that are scalable, reusable, and contribute to the overall efficiency of government operations.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile and Iterative: Working in cross-functional teams, embracing iterative development cycles and continuous feedback.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with product managers, developers, policy advisors, researchers, and stakeholders from various ministries.

• Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue, constructive feedback, and knowledge sharing within and across teams.

• Evidence-Based Design: Basing design decisions on user research, data, and stakeholder input.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture within the Government of Alberta's digital transformation initiatives is likely to be a blend of public service ethos (integrity, service to citizens) and modern tech practices (agile, user-centricity, innovation). Collaboration and a commitment to continuous improvement are central to the success of the Government-as-Platform strategy.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Bureaucracy and Policy: Balancing user-centered design principles with government policies, regulations, and procurement processes.

• Achieving Cross-Ministry Alignment: Gaining consensus and ensuring consistent implementation of design standards across diverse ministries with varying priorities and technical capabilities.

• Integrating AI Ethically and Effectively: Designing AI-enabled services that are transparent, trustworthy, and genuinely beneficial to citizens, while managing potential risks and biases.

• Legacy Systems and Technical Debt: Designing for modern user experiences while sometimes needing to integrate with or work around older government IT infrastructure.

• Measuring Impact in Public Services: Developing robust metrics to demonstrate the value and impact of service design improvements in a public sector context, where ROI might be measured differently than in the private sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced AI in Design: Exploring cutting-edge applications of AI in service design, automation, and user experience research.

• Platform Design Specialization: Gaining deep expertise in designing scalable, reusable components and services for large-scale government platforms.

• Public Sector Digital Transformation: Contributing to and learning from large-scale government modernization initiatives.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives, and potentially move into management roles.

• Industry Conferences and Certifications: Access to professional development resources to stay current with design trends and government technology best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges related to the complexities of government operations, but these challenges are also the source of substantial growth opportunities. Successfully navigating these will build highly valuable experience in public sector digital transformation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a new government service from scratch, focusing on the 'Government-as-Platform' approach."

  • Preparation: Emphasize your systematic approach, from initial discovery and user research to defining reusable patterns and ensuring accessibility. Highlight how you would collaborate with different ministries and technical teams.

• "How would you ensure AI-driven services are transparent, trustworthy, and user-centered for Albertans?"

  • Preparation: Discuss ethical AI principles, explainability, user control mechanisms, and how you would integrate AI capabilities while maintaining public trust and accessibility standards.

• "Imagine you need to design a common authentication service for multiple government applications. What are the key service design considerations and challenges?"

  • Preparation: Focus on security, user experience, accessibility, scalability, and the need for a consistent, reusable design that can be easily adopted by various applications. Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in designing public services for the Government of Alberta, specifically within the Technology and Innovation ministry?"

  • Preparation: Connect your passion for user-centered design with the desire to make a tangible impact on citizens' lives. Reference the ministry's mission and the "Government-as-Platform" initiative.

• "How do you approach collaborating with policy advisors, developers, and other stakeholders who may have different priorities?"

  • Preparation: Discuss your communication strategies, empathy, ability to translate technical/policy jargon into design terms, and experience in finding common ground.

• "How do you measure the success and impact of your service design work, particularly in a government context?"

  • Preparation: Talk about user satisfaction metrics, task completion rates, efficiency gains, adoption rates of reusable components, and qualitative feedback. Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Process and Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role, the research and design process followed, the challenges encountered, the solutions developed, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Reusability and Scalability: Specifically point out elements of your designs that are reusable or contribute to a scalable platform architecture.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be ready to walk through your Figma files or other design artifacts, explaining your choices and methodologies.

• Showcase AI Integration: If applicable, clearly explain how you used generative AI, the benefits derived, and any critical considerations.

• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs made, and how you would adapt your approach to the specific context of Alberta's government services.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of service design principles, practical experience with relevant tools, and the ability to apply these within the unique constraints and opportunities of the public sector. Articulating a clear, user-centered process and highlighting impact will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application online through the Government of Alberta job portal by the closing date (June 15, 2026).

• Craft a compelling cover letter: Clearly and concisely demonstrate how your qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies. Tailor this to the Service Designer role and the Government of Alberta's mission.

• Optimize your resume: Ensure your resume includes detailed dates (month and year) for all education and work experience, specifying full-time, part-time, or casual status. Highlight achievements and responsibilities relevant to service design, UX, AI, and platform development.

• Prepare your portfolio: Curate your best case studies that showcase end-to-end service design, user research, Figma proficiency, and ideally, experience with AI tools or platform design. Be ready to present and discuss these in detail.

• Research the Government of Alberta's Digital Strategy: Familiarize yourself with the Ministry of Technology and Innovation's goals, the "Government-as-Platform" initiative, and the specific services mentioned in the job posting. Understand the APS Competency Model.

⚠️ 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.