Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer

Company: Suncorp

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (with options for Melbourne or Brisbane)

Job Type: 12-Month Fixed Term Contract

Category: Customer Experience Operations / Service Design

Date Posted: May 19, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years (Estimated)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead complex discovery and problem-definition initiatives within the insurance sector, focusing on customer experience, operational constraints, and regulatory intersections.

• Drive human-centred design (HCD) processes, with a strong emphasis on root cause analysis and comprehensive journey management.

• Conduct and synthesize diverse research methods, including customer interviews, frontline insights, journey mapping, and service blueprinting, to uncover systemic issues.

• Facilitate high-impact workshops with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to foster collaboration and drive evidence-based solutions.

• Produce high-quality design artefacts that influence strategic decisions at project, portfolio, and system levels, advocating for customer needs, accessibility, and vulnerability considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core of this role lies in understanding and improving complex service systems through a deep, evidence-based approach. While not a traditional "Revenue Operations" or "Sales Operations" role, the focus on operational constraints, systemic issues, and influencing cross-functional teams (including operations) to improve customer journeys makes it highly relevant to GTM operations professionals who are invested in process optimization and customer lifecycle management. The "Service Design" title, combined with responsibilities like "root cause analysis" and "journey management," points to a need for process mapping, identifying efficiency gaps, and designing better workflows that directly impact customer satisfaction and operational effectiveness.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead end-to-end human-centred design initiatives and rigorous root cause analysis within intricate insurance service environments.

• Define and clarify ambiguous problem spaces by leveraging deep customer insight, operational data, risk considerations, and frontline employee experience.

• Execute and synthesize a broad spectrum of qualitative and quantitative research, including customer interviews, frontline feedback analysis, comprehensive journey mapping, detailed service blueprinting, and direct observation.

• Identify systemic breakdowns, critical handoffs, and capability gaps within complex service ecosystems through meticulous service mapping.

• Design and facilitate impactful workshops engaging senior leadership and diverse cross-functional teams to co-create solutions.

• Translate complex research findings into clear problem statements, actionable design principles, and prioritized opportunities for improvement.

• Forge strong partnerships with product management, claims departments, technology teams, data analytics, legal, compliance, and operations stakeholders to ensure holistic solution development.

• Develop and deliver high-quality design artefacts, such as service blueprints, journey maps, personas, and user flows, to effectively communicate insights and recommendations.

• Act as a strong advocate for customer needs, employee experience, accessibility standards, and specific considerations for vulnerable customer segments.

• Provide design leadership, mentorship, and coaching to uplift the service design capability and maturity across various teams within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive, investigative approach to problem-solving, which is critical for operations roles focused on efficiency and continuous improvement. The requirement to "identify systemic issues" and "map complex services" directly aligns with operations' need to understand and optimize workflows. Partnering with "operations teams" specifically highlights the cross-functional nature of this role and its impact on operational processes.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Business Administration, or a related field is highly beneficial.

Experience: Proven track record of 5-10 years in Service Design, Customer Experience (CX) Design, UX Design, or a closely related discipline, with a demonstrated ability to lead complex design initiatives from discovery to solutioning.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in Human-Centred Design (HCD) methodologies and a deep understanding of its application in complex service environments.

• Proven proficiency in conducting thorough Root Cause Analysis to identify underlying issues rather than just surface-level symptoms.

• Strong experience in Journey Management, including advanced techniques for mapping and optimizing customer and employee journeys.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct and synthesize both Qualitative Research (customer interviews, ethnographic studies, frontline feedback) and Quantitative Research (data analysis, surveys, behavioral analytics).

• Proficiency in creating and utilizing Service Blueprinting and advanced Journey Mapping techniques to visualize end-to-end service interactions.

• Proven experience in facilitating high-impact, collaborative workshops with senior leaders and diverse cross-functional teams.

• Skill in defining ambiguous problem spaces and framing complex challenges into clear, actionable problem statements and design principles.

• Excellent Stakeholder Management abilities, with a track record of influencing and collaborating effectively with senior executives and operational teams.

• Strong Systems Thinking capabilities to understand interconnectedness within complex organizational structures and service delivery.

• Exceptional Storytelling skills, capable of conveying complex insights and strategic recommendations through visual, written, and verbal formats.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with accessibility standards and best practices for designing inclusive experiences for vulnerable customers.

• Experience in uplifting service design capabilities or maturity within an organization.

• Knowledge of operational constraints, risk management, and regulatory compliance within the financial services industry.

• Proficiency in data analysis tools and techniques to support evidence-based design decisions.

• Experience with Agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration in an Agile context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "regulated organizations" and "insurance or financial services" suggests a need for candidates who understand the nuances of compliance and risk in their design processes, which often mirrors the considerations in operations roles dealing with compliance and governance. The "uplift service design capability" points to a strategic element, similar to how operations roles often drive process improvement initiatives.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated selection of case studies demonstrating end-to-end service design projects, with a clear focus on problem framing, research methodologies, and solution development.

• Specific examples showcasing the application of Human-Centred Design and Root Cause Analysis in complex service environments.

• Visual representations of Service Blueprints and advanced Journey Maps, detailing current state, pain points, opportunities, and proposed future states.

• Evidence of how your design process translated insights into tangible improvements in customer experience, operational efficiency, or risk mitigation.

Process Documentation:

• Detailed documentation of your design process for at least one significant project, outlining phases from discovery and research to ideation, prototyping, and validation.

• Clear articulation of how you integrated customer insight, operational data, and frontline feedback into your design process.

• Demonstration of how you mapped complex services to identify breakdowns, handoffs, and capability gaps, and how these insights drove subsequent design decisions.

• Examples of how you translated findings into actionable recommendations, design principles, and prioritised opportunities for implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, this section translates to showcasing projects where you analyzed existing processes, identified bottlenecks (root causes), mapped workflows (service blueprinting/journey mapping), and designed or recommended improvements that led to measurable outcomes. The emphasis on "high-quality artefacts that influence decisions" is akin to operations presenting business cases or project proposals.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Service Designer role with 5-10 years of experience in Sydney, Australia, a competitive salary range would typically fall between AUD $120,000 - $170,000 per annum, depending on specific experience, skills, and the exact scope of the fixed-term contract. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major Australian cities, considering the regulated financial services sector.

Benefits:

• Discounts and offers on a range of Suncorp insurance products.

• A variety of flexible working and leave options to support work-life balance.

• Investment in your future through ongoing study support and comprehensive career development programs.

• Opportunities to contribute to the community via payroll giving, donation matching, and paid volunteer leave.

• Robust employee assistance program and a dedicated employee council for support and engagement.

• Potential for exposure to high-impact projects and senior leadership engagement.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 37.5-40 hours per week. The role offers flexibility in how and when work is performed, where business needs permit, aligning with a hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical market rates for a mid-to-senior level Service Designer in Sydney. The benefits listed are directly from the job description and are standard for large Australian corporations, offering good support for employee well-being and professional growth, which are also key aspects attractive to operations professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services and Insurance. Suncorp is a leading provider of banking and insurance services in Australia and New Zealand, operating in a highly regulated environment. This context suggests a company culture that values stability, risk management, compliance, and customer trust, while also striving for innovation and excellent customer experience.

Company Size: Suncorp is a large, established organization. This implies a structured environment with defined processes, career paths, and opportunities for significant cross-functional collaboration, but also potential for bureaucracy.

Founded: Suncorp has a long history, with its origins tracing back to the early 20th century, evolving through various mergers and acquisitions. This heritage suggests a stable company with deep roots in the communities it serves, likely fostering a culture of reliability and long-term commitment.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the "Consumer – Brand & Customer Experience" function, indicating a strategic focus on the customer lifecycle and brand perception.

• The Service Designer will likely be part of a broader CX or Design team, potentially reporting to a Head of Service Design or CX Lead.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: A strong emphasis on using qualitative and quantitative research, customer insight, and operational data to inform decisions.

• Human-Centred Design: Core to the role, ensuring solutions are designed from the customer's perspective, addressing their needs and pain points.

• Systems Thinking: Encouraging a holistic view of interconnected processes and customer journeys to identify systemic issues and design integrated solutions.

• Collaboration & Facilitation: Extensive use of workshops and cross-functional partnerships to co-create and drive buy-in for design solutions.

Company Website: https://www.suncorpgroup.com.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, this context signifies a workplace where process rigor, data integrity, and stakeholder alignment are paramount. The "regulated environment" and "large organization" aspects mean that any proposed operational improvements must be well-documented, evidence-based, and compliant.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a senior individual contributor level, comparable to a Senior Analyst or Manager within a Revenue or Sales Operations team. It requires significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence at senior levels without direct management authority. The focus is on deep problem-solving and design leadership rather than direct team management.

Reporting Structure: The Service Designer reports into the Consumer – Brand & Customer Experience function. While not directly managing an operations team, they will collaborate closely with and influence various operational teams, including claims, customer service, and potentially digital operations. The role demands strong partnership with operational leaders to implement design solutions.

Operations Impact: The Service Designer's impact is indirect but significant on revenue and business decisions through the optimization of customer journeys. By identifying root causes of customer friction and operational inefficiencies, they contribute to improved customer retention, reduced operational costs, enhanced brand reputation, and ultimately, greater customer lifetime value. Their work informs strategic investments in technology, process improvements, and customer engagement initiatives.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, such as vulnerability design, digital service innovation, or operational process optimization within regulated industries.

• Leadership Development: Transition into leadership roles such as Lead Service Designer, Head of CX Design, or even move into strategic operations or transformation roles where design thinking is applied at a broader organizational level.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Leverage design thinking and problem-solving skills to move into product management, strategy, or transformation roles within Suncorp, or similar large financial institutions.

• Capability Uplift: Play a key role in shaping and embedding service design practices across the organization, which can lead to opportunities in change management or organizational design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path here is about deepening specialized skills or laterally moving into roles that leverage the strategic problem-solving and systems thinking developed in this position. For operations professionals, this is analogous to growing from a functional operations specialist to a strategic operations manager or a business transformation lead.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. The role is based out of Suncorp's offices in Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane, but allows for flexible working arrangements. This indicates a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work.

Office Location(s):

• Sydney, NSW, Australia

• Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Office spaces are likely designed to facilitate collaboration, with meeting rooms, workshop areas, and open-plan zones for team interaction.

• Technology Enabled: Access to standard office technology, collaboration tools, and potentially specialized design software will be available. The role requires comfort with digital tools for research synthesis and artefact creation.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The hybrid model will necessitate intentional efforts to connect with colleagues both virtually and in person, fostering a dynamic work environment where interactions span different teams and functions.

Work Schedule: The role adheres to standard business hours (approx. 37.5-40 hours/week), but offers flexibility in scheduling to accommodate personal needs and business requirements, common in hybrid environments. This allows for focused individual work time and dedicated collaborative periods.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role suggests a need for strong self-discipline, effective communication, and proactive engagement with colleagues, traits highly valued in operations roles that often require managing distributed teams or remote work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely conduct an initial screening call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role.

• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A key stage will involve presenting a portfolio of work, likely focusing on 1-2 key case studies demonstrating your approach to complex problems, research methodologies, and tangible outcomes. Be prepared to discuss your role, challenges, and impact in detail.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with senior leaders, cross-functional partners (including potential operations leads), and peers to assess strategic thinking, collaboration skills, and ability to influence.

• Problem-Solving Exercise/Workshop: You may be asked to participate in a simulated workshop or complete a take-home exercise to assess your design thinking process, ability to simplify complexity, and communication skills under pressure.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the methodologies used (HCD, root cause analysis, journey mapping), key insights, the solutions developed, and the impact/outcomes achieved (quantifiable where possible).

• Highlight Operations Intersections: If possible, showcase projects where your design work directly addressed operational inefficiencies, improved handoffs between departments, or streamlined customer-facing processes that have an operational component.

• Demonstrate Systems Thinking: Use your portfolio to illustrate how you've considered the broader system, including technology, people, processes, and policies, when designing solutions.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify the results of your work whenever possible (e.g., reduction in customer complaints, improvement in NPS, decrease in process cycle time, enhanced efficiency).

• Tailor to Suncorp: Research Suncorp's brand, customer segments, and recent initiatives. Frame your examples to resonate with their context, particularly their focus on insurance and financial services.

Challenge Preparation:

• Root Cause Analysis Practice: Be ready to dissect a hypothetical customer or operational problem, identifying potential root causes using frameworks like the "5 Whys" or Fishbone diagrams.

• Journey Mapping/Service Blueprinting: Practice mapping a simple service or process, identifying key touchpoints, pain points, and opportunities for improvement.

• Stakeholder Management Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would approach gaining buy-in from skeptical stakeholders or managing competing priorities across different departments.

• Communicating Complexity: Practice explaining complex design concepts and research findings in simple, clear language to non-designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio and case studies is critical. Operations candidates should frame their portfolio around process improvement projects, system implementations, or efficiency initiatives, highlighting their analytical and problem-solving skills, and demonstrating how they translated challenges into measurable improvements.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Miro, Mural, or similar for creating wireframes, prototypes, journey maps, and service blueprints.

• Research & Synthesis Tools: Experience with tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative data analysis (e.g., Excel, SQL basics, BI tools).

• Workshop Facilitation Tools: Mastery of digital whiteboarding tools (Miro, Mural) and in-person facilitation techniques.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary CRM/automation role, understanding how service design integrates with CRM systems (like Salesforce) and workflow automation tools used in customer service and claims processing is beneficial. Awareness of how design impacts data capture and process automation within these systems is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations candidates, highlight your proficiency with CRM systems (Salesforce, Dynamics), ERP systems, BI tools (Tableau, Power BI), workflow automation platforms (e.g., Zapier, Workato, ServiceNow), and project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana). Your ability to use data and technology to drive efficiency and process improvement is directly transferable.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring that operational processes and service designs are aligned with delivering exceptional customer experiences.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing evidence and data (customer insights, operational metrics) as the foundation for all strategic decisions and design choices.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Fostering strong working relationships across departments, recognizing that complex service challenges require integrated solutions and shared ownership.

• Continuous Improvement: An ongoing drive to identify and address inefficiencies, optimize workflows, and elevate the maturity of service design and operational processes.

• Integrity & Accountability: Upholding high ethical standards, managing risk responsibly, and taking ownership of outcomes within a regulated environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively seeking opportunities to work with and learn from diverse teams, breaking down silos to create holistic solutions.

• Empathetic Communication: Engaging with stakeholders and colleagues with empathy, understanding their perspectives and challenges to build trust and alignment.

• Constructive Feedback: Creating an environment where feedback is openly shared, received constructively, and used to refine designs and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing insights, learnings, and best practices to uplift the capabilities of individuals and teams across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: These values align strongly with effective operations teams. Emphasize how you've applied these values in past roles, particularly in driving process efficiencies, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and using data to make informed decisions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complexity and Ambiguity: The role involves tackling ill-defined problems within a large, established, and regulated organization. Success requires strong analytical skills and the ability to bring clarity to complex situations.

• Influencing Without Authority: As a Service Designer, you'll need to persuade senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams to adopt your recommendations, often without direct managerial control.

• Balancing Customer Needs with Operational/Regulatory Constraints: Finding solutions that satisfy customer expectations while adhering to strict operational realities, risk appetites, and compliance mandates.

• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the benefits of service design initiatives can be challenging, requiring robust data collection and analysis to demonstrate ROI and drive adoption.

• Uplifting Capability: Shifting mindsets and embedding new design practices within a large organization can be a slow and iterative process.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Methodologies: Opportunity to deepen expertise in niche areas of service design, human-centred design, and complex systems thinking.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining deep insights into the intricacies of the insurance and financial services industries, including regulatory frameworks and operational challenges.

• Leadership and Influence: Developing advanced skills in stakeholder management, executive communication, and driving organizational change.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Learning directly from product, technology, operations, legal, and compliance teams, broadening your understanding of business functions.

• Mentorship: Potential to be mentored by senior leaders within the Brand & Customer Experience function or to mentor junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations roles, challenges often involve optimizing legacy systems, managing change resistance, dealing with data silos, and ensuring compliance. Growth opportunities include mastering new operational technologies, leading large-scale process transformation projects, and developing strategic business acumen.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the definition of a complex, ambiguous problem space. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your discovery and problem-framing process.)

• "How do you balance customer needs with operational constraints and regulatory requirements in your design process?" (Prepare an example showcasing your ability to find pragmatic solutions.)

• "Walk us through a service blueprint or journey map you created. What insights did it reveal, and how did it influence subsequent decisions?" (Be ready to explain your process and the impact.)

• "How would you approach identifying the root cause of a specific customer complaint or an operational bottleneck within our insurance claims process?" (Demonstrate your analytical and diagnostic approach.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Suncorp, and specifically this Service Designer role within our Consumer function?" (Research Suncorp's mission, values, and recent news.)

• "How would you approach embedding service design principles and improving service design maturity within a large, regulated organization like Suncorp?" (Showcase your understanding of organizational change and capability uplift.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility and consider the needs of vulnerable customers in your design work?" (Discuss specific practices and considerations.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Diverse Examples: Choose 2-3 case studies that showcase a range of skills: one for deep discovery/problem framing, one for complex journey/service mapping, and one for an implemented solution with measurable impact.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative: the challenge, your approach, the insights uncovered, the solution designed, and the results achieved.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially if you worked in a team.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, diagrams, photos of workshops) to illustrate your process and outcomes.

• Focus on Impact & Operations: For each case, emphasize how your work improved customer experience, simplified processes, reduced operational friction, or mitigated risk. Connect your design outcomes to business value.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, decision-making rationale, and challenges faced.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, prepare to showcase projects where you optimized a sales process, improved reporting accuracy, implemented a new CRM feature, or streamlined a GTM workflow. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions and be ready to discuss metrics and ROI.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Designer position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature case studies that highlight your expertise in human-centred design, root cause analysis, and journey/service mapping within complex, regulated environments. If possible, include examples where your work intersected with operational processes or improved customer-facing workflows.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords from the job description such as "Service Design," "Human-Centred Design," "Root Cause Analysis," "Journey Mapping," "Service Blueprinting," "Stakeholder Management," and experience in regulated industries. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, especially how you uncover root causes and translate insights into actionable solutions. Prepare specific examples that demonstrate your ability to influence senior stakeholders and collaborate with operational teams. Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on clear storytelling and impact.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Suncorp's business, its role in the Australian market, its brand values, and any recent news or initiatives related to customer experience or digital transformation. Understand the challenges and opportunities within the insurance and financial services sectors.

⚠️ 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.