Service Designer (Public)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer (Public)

Company: Kainos

Location: Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Experience Design / Service Design / Public Sector Digital Transformation

Date Posted: November 5, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Service Experience Delivery: Responsible for designing and delivering end-to-end, efficient, and consistent service experiences, with a focus on public sector digital transformation.

• Design Advocacy & Coaching: Serve as a champion for needs-based design, design research, design thinking, and service design principles, guiding and mentoring junior team members.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to and influence the future direction of service experiences by applying a range of strategic models and understanding of business analysis for problem definition.

• User-Centred Design: Create exemplary digital services within a growing Experience Design capability, prioritizing user needs and measurable impact over marketing tactics.

• Team Leadership & Development: Manage, coach, and develop senior team members, focusing on performance management and career progression within the Experience Design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on the public sector, implying a need to understand government digital service standards, citizen needs, and potentially complex regulatory environments. The emphasis on "measurable impact" suggests a strong focus on data-driven outcomes and demonstrating ROI for public services.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Service Design: Define, design, and deliver comprehensive service experiences that are user-centric, efficient, and aligned with public sector objectives.

• Design Research & Strategy: Lead and conduct design research, applying design thinking and needs-based design methodologies to uncover user needs and inform strategic service improvements.

• Experience Mapping & Blueprinting: Collaborate with researchers and wider teams to create detailed experience maps and service blueprints, visualizing the current and future state of services.

• Workshop Facilitation: Design, lead, and facilitate engaging workshops using a variety of techniques to drive consensus, generate insights, and achieve desired project outcomes.

• Stakeholder Management: Identify, map, and manage a diverse range of stakeholders, facilitating effective communication and engagement to ensure alignment and buy-in for design initiatives.

• Team Coaching & Mentoring: Provide guidance, coaching, and support to junior team members and the wider Experience Design community, fostering their professional development and performance.

• Business Analysis Integration: Leverage business analysis principles to articulate clear problem statements and ensure designs address core business and user needs.

• Commercial Awareness: Apply strong commercial acumen to ensure service designs are not only user-friendly but also viable and sustainable within the public sector context.

• Agile Delivery Support: Contribute to and integrate service design activities within Agile delivery methodologies, ensuring design thinking is embedded throughout the development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility for managing, coaching, and developing senior members of the team suggests a leadership component to this role, beyond typical individual contributor expectations. This indicates a need for strong people management and mentoring skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Business, or a related field is often beneficial for Service Design roles. A demonstrated understanding of design principles and methodologies is key.

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in a Service Design, Experience Design, or similar user-centred design role, with a proven track record of delivering complex digital services. Experience in a full-service digital agency or within the public sector is highly desirable.

Required Skills:

• Service Design: Proven ability to design and deliver end-to-end service experiences.

• Design Research: Expertise in various research methodologies (e.g., user interviews, surveys, usability testing) to gather insights.

• Design Thinking: Demonstrated application of design thinking principles to solve complex problems.

• Needs-based Design: Strong understanding and application of designing services based on identified user needs.

• Experience Mapping: Proficiency in creating experience maps to visualize user journeys and service touchpoints.

• Service Blueprints: Ability to develop service blueprints to map out service interactions, backstage processes, and support functions.

• Business Analysis: Understanding of business analysis techniques for problem definition and requirement gathering.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent skills in identifying, engaging, and managing diverse stakeholder groups.

• Workshop Facilitation: Proven ability to design and lead effective workshops for ideation, problem-solving, and decision-making.

• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas to various audiences.

• Commercial Awareness: Strong understanding of commercial principles and their application to service design.

• Coaching & Mentoring: Demonstrated ability to manage, coach, and develop team members.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working in a full-service digital agency environment.

• Experience working with Agile delivery methodologies (Scrum, Kanban).

• Familiarity with strategic models and their application in service design.

• Experience working within the UK public sector or government digital services.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "managing, coaching and developing senior members of your team and wider community" alongside the 5-10 years of experience suggests this role may operate at a Senior Service Designer or Lead Service Designer level, requiring leadership capabilities beyond individual contribution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 detailed case studies demonstrating your end-to-end service design process, from initial research and problem framing to solution design, prototyping, and implementation support.

• Process Visualization: Include examples of service blueprints, experience maps, user journey maps, and other visual artifacts that clearly illustrate your design thinking and methodology.

• User-Centricity: Highlight how user research and feedback were integrated into your design decisions and how you advocated for user needs.

• Impact & Outcomes: Clearly articulate the measurable impact of your designs, focusing on improvements in user satisfaction, efficiency, or other relevant public sector metrics. Quantify results whenever possible.

• Problem Definition: Demonstrate your ability to translate complex problems into clear statements and design challenges.

Process Documentation:

• Methodology Explanation: Be prepared to articulate your preferred service design methodologies, including how you adapt them to different project contexts and client needs.

• Workshop Outputs: Showcase examples of outputs from facilitated workshops, demonstrating your ability to drive collaborative outcomes.

• Iterative Design: Illustrate how you have used iteration and feedback loops to refine designs and improve service outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Service Designer role, the portfolio should not just showcase individual work but also demonstrate leadership in driving design processes, mentoring junior designers, and influencing strategic decisions. Evidence of managing stakeholder expectations and navigating complex organizational structures is also crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the experience level (5-10 years), location (Birmingham, UK), and industry (Technology/Consulting within the Public Sector), a competitive salary range for a Service Designer at this level in the UK would typically fall between £50,000 and £70,000 per annum. This can vary based on specific project demands, the candidate's exact experience, and Kainos's internal banding structure.

Benefits:

• Pension Scheme: Comprehensive pension contributions to support long-term financial security.

• Health & Wellbeing: Access to health insurance, wellbeing programs, and potentially discounted gym memberships.

• Professional Development: Significant investment in training, certifications, and continuous learning opportunities relevant to service design and public sector digital transformation.

• Flexible Working: While this role is on-site, Kainos may offer flexibility around working hours or occasional remote work opportunities for specific circumstances.

• Generous Leave: Ample annual leave allowance, plus public holidays.

• Life Assurance: Financial protection for your loved ones.

• Employee Assistance Programme: Confidential support for personal and professional challenges.

• Referral Bonuses: Incentives for referring successful candidates.

Working Hours: The stated working hours are 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, a degree of flexibility may be expected to meet project deadlines and facilitate stakeholder engagements, particularly during workshop facilitation or key delivery phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimates are based on publicly available data for similar roles in the UK technology and consulting sectors, adjusted for the specified experience level and location. Benefits are typical for a company of Kainos's size and industry, with a focus on professional growth relevant to design and public sector careers.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology and Digital Transformation Consulting, with a significant focus on the Public Sector and Workday solutions. Kainos is known for its commitment to creating impactful digital services that benefit society.

Company Size: Kainos is a large, established technology company with over 2,000 employees globally, indicating a stable yet dynamic work environment with ample opportunities for career advancement and diverse project exposure.

Founded: Kainos was founded in 1989, giving it a long history and deep expertise in the technology sector. This longevity suggests a robust business model and a strong understanding of market evolution.

Team Structure:

• Experience Design Capability: You will be part of a dedicated and growing team focused on Experience Design, suggesting a supportive community of practice where knowledge sharing and collaboration are encouraged.

• Cross-Functional Teams: Service Designers typically work within multi-disciplinary teams, collaborating closely with Business Analysts, Researchers, Developers, Product Owners, and Project Managers.

• Reporting: The role mentions managing and coaching junior staff, implying a potential for leadership within the Experience Design team, with reporting likely to a Head of Experience Design or similar senior management role.

Methodology:

• User-Centred Design: Kainos emphasizes a user-centred approach, ensuring that all digital services are designed with the end-user's needs and experiences at the forefront.

• Agile Delivery: The company embraces Agile methodologies, meaning projects are typically delivered iteratively, with a focus on flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Impact-Driven: There is a strong focus on delivering "real impact," particularly in the public sector, meaning designs are evaluated on their effectiveness, efficiency, and positive contribution to citizens' lives.

Company Website: https://careers.kainos.com/gb/en

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's description highlights a "people-first culture" and a commitment to "real impact," which are key indicators for potential candidates. The explicit mention of not using "dark patterns" reinforces a genuine commitment to ethical, user-focused design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, indicated by the 5-10 years of experience requirement and the responsibilities for coaching and managing junior team members. As a Service Designer, you will be instrumental in shaping user experiences for critical public services, influencing strategic direction, and contributing to the overall digital transformation efforts.

Reporting Structure: You will likely report to a senior leader within the Experience Design capability, such as a Head of Experience Design or a Senior Manager. You will also work within project-specific, cross-functional teams where collaboration and influence are key.

Operations Impact: The impact of a Service Designer at Kainos, particularly in the public sector, is significant. You will directly influence how citizens interact with essential government services, aiming to improve accessibility, efficiency, and overall user satisfaction. This role contributes to making public services more effective and user-friendly, creating tangible societal benefits.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Progression: Potential to advance into Lead Service Designer, Head of Experience Design, or similar leadership roles, managing larger teams and strategic initiatives.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of service design, user research, or public sector digital transformation.

• Continuous Learning: Access to Kainos's extensive training programs, certifications, and opportunities to attend industry conferences to stay abreast of the latest trends in UX, service design, and digital government.

• Cross-Disciplinary Experience: Exposure to a wide range of projects and technologies, allowing for broad skill development across different domains and client types.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the Experience Design community within Kainos.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of managing and developing "senior members of your team and wider community" suggests a leadership track is very much a possibility from this role, potentially involving line management duties or becoming a recognized subject matter expert within the firm.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as "On-site," indicating a requirement to work from Kainos's offices in Birmingham. This environment typically fosters strong team collaboration, spontaneous idea-sharing, and direct mentorship.

Office Location(s): Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. This location provides good connectivity and access to a vibrant business hub.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Kainos offices are designed to support collaboration, with various meeting rooms, breakout areas, and open-plan workspaces conducive to team interaction.

• Digital Tools: Access to a comprehensive suite of digital tools and technologies necessary for design, research, and project management.

• Team Interaction: The on-site nature facilitates regular face-to-face interaction with colleagues, fostering a strong team spirit and efficient communication channels. This is particularly beneficial for design workshops and co-creation sessions.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are 40 per week. While adherence to a schedule is expected, the nature of project-based work in consulting and digital transformation may sometimes require flexibility to meet critical deadlines or client demands. The emphasis on "people-first culture" suggests that work-life balance is valued, and any overtime would ideally be managed and compensated appropriately.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "on-site" requirement is a key differentiator. Candidates should consider their preference for in-office collaboration versus remote work when evaluating this role. The emphasis on collaboration suggests the office environment is set up to facilitate it.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess suitability for the role.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A discussion about your experience, skills, and understanding of service design principles, potentially including behavioural questions and scenario-based challenges.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present selected case studies from your portfolio, showcasing your process, methodologies, and impact. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your practical application of service design.

• Workshop Exercise/Case Study: You may be asked to participate in a short design exercise or a more in-depth case study analysis to assess your problem-solving, design thinking, and facilitation skills in real-time.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss cultural fit, career aspirations, and overall alignment with Kainos's values and strategic goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 diverse case studies that best represent your end-to-end service design capabilities, highlighting your problem-solving approach, methodology, and measurable outcomes.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative: the problem, your approach, the process, the solutions, and the impact. Clearly articulate your role and contributions.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – service blueprints, journey maps, wireframes, prototypes, and user research insights. Explain why you made certain decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, provide data and metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved user satisfaction scores, reduced task completion times, increased efficiency).

• Public Sector Relevance: If possible, include a case study related to public services or government digital transformation to demonstrate your understanding of this sector's unique challenges and opportunities.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges faced, how you managed stakeholders, and how you would adapt your approach for Kainos's clients.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking Practice: Refresh your understanding of the design thinking process and be ready to apply it to a hypothetical public service challenge.

• Workshop Facilitation: Consider how you would structure and facilitate a workshop to solve a given problem, identifying key activities and desired outcomes.

• Problem Framing: Practice articulating problem statements and defining the scope of a design challenge.

• Stakeholder Mapping: Think about how you would identify and manage different stakeholder groups in a public sector project.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and potential workshop exercises highlights the practical, hands-on nature of this role. Candidates should prepare to actively demonstrate their skills and thinking process, not just discuss them.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Software: Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (XD, Illustrator), or similar.

• Collaboration Platforms: Experience with tools like Miro, Mural, Confluence, or Jira for collaborative design, documentation, and project management.

• Diagramming Tools: Familiarity with tools for creating service blueprints and experience maps (e.g., Lucidchart, Whimsical, dedicated service design platforms).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly a data analyst role, an understanding of how to interpret and utilize analytics (e.g., Google Analytics, Pendo, or custom government service dashboards) to inform design decisions is beneficial.

• Ability to translate data insights into actionable design recommendations. CRM & Automation:

• Not typically a primary focus for Service Designers, but an understanding of how CRM systems and automation tools impact customer journeys and service delivery can be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, candidates should highlight proficiency in common design and collaboration software. The ability to interpret data and inform design decisions is crucial, even if direct analytics tool usage isn't the core responsibility.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• People-First Culture: Kainos prioritizes its employees, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where individuals feel valued and empowered.

• Impact & Purpose: A strong drive to create positive, measurable impact, particularly through transforming public services for the benefit of citizens.

• Collaboration & Innovation: Encouragement of teamwork, idea-sharing, and creative problem-solving to deliver cutting-edge solutions.

• Integrity & Quality: Commitment to delivering high-quality work and maintaining ethical standards, avoiding "dark patterns" and focusing on genuine user value.

• Continuous Improvement: A culture that embraces learning, feedback, and iterative development to enhance services and processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Service Designers work closely with diverse teams, requiring excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to bridge gaps between different disciplines.

• Open Communication: A culture that values open dialogue, constructive feedback, and the sharing of knowledge and best practices.

• User Advocacy: A shared commitment across teams to champion the needs and experiences of the end-user.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development, flexibility, and a proactive approach to problem-solving within project teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of "people-first culture" and avoiding "dark patterns" are strong indicators of an ethical and employee-centric workplace, which are important considerations for candidates.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Public Sector Complexity: Navigating the unique challenges of public sector digital transformation, including legacy systems, procurement processes, diverse stakeholder needs, and budget constraints.

• Balancing Needs: Effectively balancing the needs of diverse user groups, government objectives, and technical feasibility within service design.

• Driving Change: Influencing stakeholders and organizational culture to adopt user-centred design principles and modern service delivery approaches.

• Measuring Impact: Developing robust methods to measure and demonstrate the tangible impact and ROI of service design initiatives in the public sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Public Sector Digital Standards: Deepen knowledge of government digital service frameworks and best practices.

• Advanced Design Techniques: Access to training and workshops on emerging service design methodologies, user research techniques, and facilitation skills.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to develop people management, coaching, and strategic leadership skills through internal programs and practical experience.

• Industry Events: Participation in relevant conferences and events focused on service design, UX, and digital transformation in the public sector.

• Mentorship Programs: Benefit from or provide mentorship, fostering professional growth and knowledge transfer within Kainos.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for resilience, adaptability, and strong influencing skills, particularly when working within the public sector context. The growth opportunities are well-aligned with advancing a career in service design and digital transformation leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex public service you've designed or improved. What was the problem, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on your end-to-end process, user research, and measurable impact).

• "How do you advocate for user needs when faced with conflicting stakeholder priorities or technical limitations?" (Highlight your communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills).

• "Walk me through a service blueprint you've created. What insights did it reveal, and how did it inform your design decisions?" (Demonstrate your ability to visualize complex systems and translate them into actionable design).

• "How would you approach designing a new digital service for [specific public sector scenario - e.g., citizen benefits application, healthcare appointment booking]?" (Showcase your design thinking process, research methods, and consideration of public sector constraints). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Kainos, specifically within the public sector?" (Research Kainos's public sector work and connect it to your own motivations).

• "How do you define 'impact' in the context of public services?" (Align with Kainos's emphasis on measurable, positive societal outcomes).

• "Describe a time you coached or mentored a junior team member. What was your approach, and what was the result?" (Prepare specific examples demonstrating your leadership and development capabilities). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the context, challenge, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the solution, and the outcomes/impact.

• Highlight Your Process: Emphasize your methodology – how you used design thinking, user research, and specific tools to arrive at your solutions.

• Showcase Visuals: Use your service blueprints, journey maps, and prototypes to illustrate your thinking. Explain why these artifacts are valuable.

• Quantify Results: Be ready to discuss any metrics or data that demonstrate the success of your work. If exact numbers aren't available, discuss qualitative feedback and observed improvements.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, trade-offs made, and challenges encountered.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice focuses on demonstrating practical application of skills, strategic thinking, and alignment with Kainos's values, particularly concerning public sector impact and employee development.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Complete the online application form via the Kainos careers portal.

• Tailor Your CV: Ensure your CV highlights your experience in service design, design research, design thinking, stakeholder management, and any public sector project work, using keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Prepare a digital portfolio (e.g., PDF, personal website) showcasing 3-5 of your strongest service design case studies. Focus on demonstrating your end-to-end process, user-centricity, and measurable impact. Be ready to present selected case studies during the interview process.

• Research Kainos: Familiarize yourself with Kainos's work in the public sector and their approach to digital transformation. Understand their company values and culture.

• Prepare for Interviews: Practice answering common service design interview questions, particularly those related to problem-solving, stakeholder management, and your design process. Be ready to discuss your portfolio in detail and potentially participate in a design exercise.

⚠️ 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.