Service Designer, Scams

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer, Scams

Company: AFCA

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: Contract

Category: Customer Experience Design / Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-28

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and optimize end-to-end customer journeys specifically for individuals and small businesses affected by scams, ensuring services are accessible, inclusive, and responsive.

• Integrate service design principles with UX/UI design capabilities to enhance digital touchpoints and customer interactions during critical moments of vulnerability.

• Collaborate closely with Product Design, Customer Experience, and Scams stakeholders to deliver cohesive improvements across systems, processes, and teams.

• Translate complex insights from scam-affected consumers into practical, implementable service and interface changes that embed sustainable improvements.

• Focus on enhancing customer engagement with AFCA's dispute resolution services, particularly for those experiencing heightened vulnerability or urgency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a customer-centric operations framework, focusing on the 'how' of service delivery for a sensitive and high-impact area (scams). The emphasis on integrating service design with UX/UI and operational execution suggests a need for a candidate who can bridge strategic design thinking with practical implementation. The contract nature (12-month max-term) implies a project-driven focus, likely aimed at significant service uplift or transformation within the scams domain.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Map, analyze, and design comprehensive end-to-end customer journeys for scam-affected consumers, covering prevention, reporting, and resolution phases.

• Identify and address barriers within all customer interaction channels, with a particular focus on addressing urgency, vulnerability, and trust issues.

• Develop and propose practical service improvements, including enhancements to digital user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design.

• Translate qualitative and quantitative insights into actionable service design and interface modifications that improve customer outcomes.

• Contribute to the visual and interaction design of digital touchpoints relevant to scams, ensuring consistency and usability.

• Embed effective support options and resolution pathways into existing operational workflows to streamline processes.

• Ensure a consistent and seamless customer experience across all channels and touchpoints, including maintaining digital UI consistency.

• Partner effectively with Product Designers and UX/UI specialists to ensure alignment between service design strategies and digital product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic service design and tactical UX/UI execution. The focus on "scams" and "vulnerable customers" implies a need for deep empathy and an understanding of user needs in high-stress situations. The mention of embedding support into "operational workflows" underscores the operational impact of this role, requiring a candidate who can influence and work with operational teams.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific degrees are not mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating practical application of design principles is essential. A background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field would be beneficial.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of experience in service design, UX/UI design, or a closely related customer experience role, with a significant portion focused on designing for complex service environments.

Required Skills:

• Advanced service design and customer journey mapping capabilities.

• Proficiency in UX/UI design, including wireframing, prototyping, and visual design, with the ability to contribute to design execution.

• Demonstrated ability to connect strategic design concepts with practical operational execution.

• Experience working within iterative, agile delivery frameworks across multiple cross-functional teams.

• Proven experience in designing for complex service environments, with a strong preference for experience in scams, fraud, or vulnerable-customer contexts.

• Exceptional facilitation and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence diverse groups.

• Strong understanding and application of accessible and inclusive design principles.

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills. Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with emerging technologies, including AI-assisted design tools and innovative digital experience delivery methods.

• Experience in the financial services sector or a regulatory/ombudsman environment.

• Understanding of data analysis and how to leverage insights for design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for "working proficiency in UX/UI design" beyond just strategy is a key differentiator for this role. It suggests the need for a designer who can both envision the service and help build or refine its digital components. The emphasis on "connecting design with operational execution" and "embedding support options into operational workflows" points to a need for a pragmatic designer who understands how services are delivered in practice.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrations of end-to-end customer journey design, specifically showcasing problem identification, ideation, and implementation for complex user needs.

• Case studies detailing how service design strategies were translated into tangible UX/UI improvements and operational workflow adjustments.

• Examples of wireframes, prototypes, and visual designs for digital touchpoints, illustrating problem-solving for user flows.

• Evidence of stakeholder engagement, facilitation of workshops, and collaboration across design, product, and operations teams.

• Projects that highlight experience with vulnerable customer segments or sensitive issue resolution, demonstrating empathy and ethical design considerations.

• Documentation showcasing analytical approaches to user research, insight generation, and the impact of design interventions. Process Documentation:

• Examples of service blueprinting or similar tools used to map complex service ecosystems, detailing user interactions, backstage processes, and support systems.

• Documentation of iterative design processes, including user testing, feedback loops, and design refinements based on agile methodologies.

• Case studies illustrating the integration of digital design elements with physical or human-led service components.

• Evidence of how design solutions were embedded into operational processes, including any contributions to process documentation or training materials.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on connecting design with "operational execution" and "embedding support options into operational workflows" means portfolios should ideally showcase not just the design artifacts but also the process of implementation and how the design influenced or integrated with backend systems and human processes. A strong candidate will demonstrate how their designs directly led to improved service delivery and customer outcomes in real-world scenarios.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the contract nature, 5-10 years of experience, and location in Melbourne, Australia, a competitive rate for a Service Designer with UX/UI capabilities would typically range from AUD $100,000 to $150,000 per annum (pro-rata for the contract duration). This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major Australian cities, considering the specialized nature of scams and vulnerable customer design.

Benefits:

• Contract role with a 12-month maximum term.

• Hybrid working model with two days per week in modern Melbourne offices designed for collaboration and wellbeing.

• Gold AWEI Accreditation 2025 (LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion).

• Accredited Family Friendly Workplace, supporting work-life balance.

• Additional and inclusive leave options: flexible public holidays, gender affirmation leave, women’s health leave.

• Bonus paid time off over the end-of-year holiday period.

• Opportunity to make a significant impact in a not-for-profit organization focused on fairness and consumer protection.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (approximately 38-40 hours per week) are expected, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work arrangement. The role is designed to accommodate work-life balance, aligning with AFCA's accredited family-friendly workplace status.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on the provided experience level (5-10 years), job title (Service Designer), and location (Melbourne, Australia). Contract roles often command higher hourly or daily rates compared to permanent positions, reflecting the lack of long-term benefits and job security. The range provided is a benchmark, and the actual rate will depend on the candidate's specific experience, skill set, and negotiation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Dispute Resolution (Not-for-profit Ombudsman Service). AFCA operates as a critical independent body within Australia's financial sector, handling complaints and disputes between consumers, small businesses, and financial firms. This context means the work is high-stakes, impacting individuals significantly.

Company Size: Over 1600 dedicated professionals. This indicates a substantial organization with established processes, diverse teams, and a significant operational footprint. For a designer, this means opportunities for broad impact but also the need to navigate larger organizational structures and collaborate across many departments.

Founded: Established in 2018. AFCA is a relatively young organization, which can imply a more dynamic and evolving culture, potentially more open to new approaches and innovation compared to older, more established institutions.

Team Structure:

• The role likely sits within a Customer Experience or Product Design team, working closely with specialized Scams teams.

• Reporting structure will likely be to a Service Design Lead, Head of CX, or a Product Manager, with dotted lines to Scams domain experts.

• Cross-functional collaboration is paramount, involving Product Designers, UX/UI Specialists, Scams Analysts, Operational Teams (case handlers, investigators), Legal, and potentially Data Analytics. Methodology:

• AFCA emphasizes fairness, independence, and world-class service. This translates to a data-informed and user-centric approach to service design and dispute resolution.

• Agile delivery models are mentioned, suggesting iterative development and collaboration.

• A focus on inclusive and accessible design is a core tenet, reflecting the diverse needs of AFCA's user base.

• The organization uses technology and processes to manage a high volume of complaints efficiently and effectively, aiming for positive outcomes for affected individuals.

Company Website: https://www.afca.org.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission as a "progressive financial ombudsman" focused on "fairness" and "positive change" suggests a culture that values ethical considerations, user advocacy, and continuous improvement. The "not-for-profit" status often means a focus on impact over profit, which can be highly motivating for employees. The organizational size and relatively recent establishment point to a hybrid culture: established processes but with room for innovation and evolution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a mid-to-senior level, requiring significant expertise in service design and UX/UI. It's a hands-on design role with strategic input, focusing on the practical application of design thinking to solve complex problems within a specific domain (scams). It bridges the gap between high-level CX strategy and day-to-day operational delivery.

Reporting Structure: The Service Designer will likely report to a manager within a Design or CX function, but will work very closely with stakeholders from the Scams department and potentially Product Management. This dual focus requires strong collaboration and communication skills to ensure design solutions meet both user needs and business/operational requirements.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the effectiveness and accessibility of AFCA's services for scam-affected consumers. By improving customer journeys, the Service Designer contributes to better dispute resolution outcomes, increased consumer trust, and potentially reduced operational friction. The design work directly influences how AFCA interacts with vulnerable individuals, making this a high-impact position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for vulnerable customer groups and complex dispute resolution processes within the financial sector.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Gain experience leading design initiatives across multiple teams and departments, influencing strategic decisions related to customer experience and scam response.

• Process Improvement: Contribute to refining AFCA's internal design and delivery processes, potentially influencing how new services are developed and implemented.

• Contract to Permanent: Successful performance in this contract role could lead to opportunities for permanent positions within AFCA's growing CX or design teams, especially if the organization continues to expand its focus on proactive customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a contract role focused on a specific, high-impact area. Growth opportunities would primarily be within the scope of the project and the development of specialized skills. While direct career pathing might be limited by the contract term, the experience gained in designing for vulnerable users in a regulated environment is highly valuable for future roles in CX, service design, or operations within the financial sector or similar industries.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working environment. AFCA offers modern offices designed for collaboration and wellbeing, with designated spaces for focused work and team interaction. The hybrid model allows for a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The specific office location in Melbourne would likely be a central business district (CBD) area, offering good accessibility via public transport.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative: The office design encourages interaction and teamwork, essential for cross-functional projects like this one. Expect spaces for workshops, brainstorming, and team meetings.

• Resourceful: As a large organization, AFCA likely provides access to necessary design tools, software, and technology to support the role. The mention of "AI-assisted design tools" suggests a forward-thinking approach to technology adoption.

• Supportive: The company culture emphasizes inclusivity, wellbeing, and belonging, creating a supportive environment for employees. The "Accredited Family Friendly Workplace" status further reinforces this.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with expectations for standard working hours. The hybrid arrangement provides flexibility in how and where work is completed, balancing in-office collaboration with personal work preferences. This flexibility is crucial for maintaining work-life balance, especially when dealing with sensitive topics like scams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "hybrid working" model with "two days a week in our modern offices designed for collaboration and wellbeing" is a key aspect. This implies a structured approach to hybrid work, requiring the Service Designer to be present for specific collaborative activities, likely on designated days. The focus on wellbeing and inclusivity suggests a positive and supportive workplace culture.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of applications and resumes, with a strong emphasis on the candidate's portfolio and relevant experience.

• First Interview: Likely a discussion with the hiring manager or a senior member of the Design/CX team. This will focus on understanding your experience in service design, UX/UI, stakeholder management, and your approach to tackling complex problems like scams. Be prepared to discuss your portfolio and specific project examples.

• Design Challenge/Workshop: A practical exercise, potentially a case study or a short workshop, to assess your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to work collaboratively. This might involve mapping a hypothetical journey or proposing solutions for a given scenario.

• Final Interview: A meeting with senior stakeholders, possibly from the Scams department, to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall suitability for the role and organization. This is also an opportunity to ask in-depth questions about AFCA's vision and operational challenges.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Scams/Vulnerability Experience: Prioritize case studies that demonstrate your experience with sensitive user groups, complex problem spaces, or situations involving urgency and trust.

• Showcase End-to-End Journeys: Clearly articulate your process from research and insight gathering through to detailed journey mapping and the design of tangible improvements (both service and digital).

• Demonstrate Operational Integration: Explicitly show how your designs connect with operational workflows, systems, or team processes. Use service blueprints or similar artifacts to illustrate this.

• Emphasize UX/UI Contribution: For any digital components, provide clear examples of wireframes, prototypes, or visual designs, explaining the rationale behind your design decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the success and impact of your design interventions.

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio around clear narratives for each project, explaining the problem, your approach, your role, the solution, and the outcome.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand AFCA's Mission: Research AFCA's role, its values (fairness, independence), and its work in resolving financial disputes.

• Scams Context: Familiarize yourself with common scam types, the impact on consumers, and general strategies for prevention and resolution.

• Service Design Toolkit: Be ready to discuss and potentially apply common service design tools and methodologies (journey mapping, service blueprints, personas, user stories).

• Agile & Iterative Design: Prepare to discuss how you work in agile environments and adapt your design process based on feedback and evolving requirements.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating complex design concepts clearly and concisely to non-design audiences, focusing on business impact and user benefits.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the specific focus on scams and vulnerable customers, interviewers will likely probe deeply into how candidates approach ethical considerations, empathy, and designing for high-stress situations. Portfolios that clearly show a structured, user-centered process, with a strong emphasis on translating insights into actionable, implementable solutions, will be highly valued.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design: Tools for journey mapping, service blueprinting, persona creation (e.g., Miro, Mural, Figma, Adobe XD, specialized journey mapping software).

• UX/UI Design: Wireframing, prototyping, and visual design software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision).

• Collaboration: Digital whiteboarding and collaboration platforms (e.g., Miro, Mural, Microsoft Teams, Slack).

• Project Management: Agile project management tools for task tracking and workflow management (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior on digital touchpoints.

• Ability to interpret reports on customer feedback, complaint data, and service performance metrics.

• Experience with dashboarding tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) might be beneficial for understanding service performance. CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) store customer data and support service delivery.

• Awareness of workflow automation tools and their role in streamlining operational processes.

• Experience with integration concepts between different systems (e.g., via APIs) to ensure seamless data flow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description specifically mentions "AI-assisted design tools" and "emerging technologies." While not explicitly listed as primary tools, candidates demonstrating familiarity or openness to exploring these would be advantageous. The emphasis on connecting design with "operational execution" suggests an understanding of how design outputs integrate with backend systems and workflows, even if direct experience with specific CRM or automation platforms isn't a primary requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Fairness: At the core of AFCA's mission, this value translates to ensuring all service designs are equitable, unbiased, and accessible to all users, especially those who have been wronged.

• Independence: Decisions and designs should be objective and free from undue influence, ensuring trust and credibility in AFCA's services.

• Inclusivity: Designing for a diverse Australian population means actively considering accessibility, cultural differences, and varying levels of digital literacy and emotional resilience.

• Accountability & Resilience: Taking ownership of design outcomes and being able to adapt and persevere through complex challenges, particularly in sensitive areas like scams.

• Progressive Thinking: An openness to innovation, exploring new technologies (like AI in design), and continuously seeking better ways to serve consumers.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: A strong emphasis on working collaboratively across design, product, customer experience, and operational teams to ensure holistic service delivery.

• User-Centricity: A shared commitment to understanding and advocating for the needs of scam-affected consumers throughout the design and delivery process.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Using research, feedback, and operational data to guide design choices and measure impact.

• Iterative & Feedback-Driven: A culture that encourages continuous improvement through feedback loops, user testing, and agile methodologies.

• Open Communication: Encouraging transparent dialogue and constructive feedback to refine designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values of "fairness," "independence," and "inclusivity" are particularly relevant for a role dealing with scams and vulnerable consumers. Candidates should be able to articulate how their design philosophy and practices align with these core AFCA values. The collaboration style implies a need for strong interpersonal skills and the ability to navigate different perspectives within a large organization.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Vulnerable Users: The primary challenge will be designing services that are genuinely accessible, empathetic, and effective for individuals experiencing the distress and confusion of being scammed. This requires deep user understanding and ethical design considerations.

• Bridging Design and Operations: Translating sophisticated service design concepts into practical, implementable changes within existing operational workflows and systems can be complex.

• Balancing Speed and Rigor: Working in an agile environment while ensuring that due diligence, user research, and inclusive design principles are not compromised, especially in sensitive areas.

• Navigating a Large Organization: Influencing stakeholders and driving change across different departments within a large organization like AFCA requires strong negotiation and communication skills.

• Staying Ahead of Evolving Scams: The landscape of scams is constantly changing, requiring continuous learning and adaptation in service design to address new threats.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Domain Expertise: Deep dive into the intricacies of financial scams, fraud, and vulnerable customer support within a regulated environment.

• Advanced Design Methodologies: Opportunity to apply and refine service design and UX/UI skills in a real-world, high-impact context.

• Cross-Functional Project Leadership: Gain experience leading design initiatives that span multiple business units, enhancing project management and stakeholder influence skills.

• Exposure to Emerging Technologies: Experiment with and learn about AI-assisted design tools and innovative digital experience solutions.

• Mentorship and Networking: Work alongside experienced professionals in design, CX, and the financial ombudsman sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the critical nature of this role. A strong candidate will not only identify these challenges but also demonstrate how they would proactively address them, showcasing their problem-solving abilities and strategic thinking. The growth opportunities are significant for someone looking to specialize in a high-demand area of CX and operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a customer journey for a high-vulnerability user group, specifically in a context like financial scams." (Focus on empathy, research, ethical considerations, and iterative design.)

• "How do you ensure your service design concepts are translated into practical, operational realities? Can you provide an example of how you've embedded a design improvement into existing workflows?" (Focus on collaboration with operations, understanding of systems, and implementation strategies.)

• "Imagine a scenario where a new type of scam emerges. How would you quickly assess the impact on customers and propose service improvements?" (Focus on rapid research, agile response, and cross-functional collaboration.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about AFCA's mission, particularly its role in fairness and dispute resolution for Australians?" (Research AFCA's website, annual reports, and news.)

• "How do you approach inclusive and accessible design, and why is it important in a service like AFCA's?" (Connect to AFCA's values and user base.)

• "Given AFCA's hybrid work model, how do you ensure effective collaboration and maintain team connection?" (Discuss your approach to remote and in-office teamwork.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your specific role and contribution, your design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the solution, and the measurable impact.

• Highlight Vulnerable User Focus: Emphasize how you incorporated empathy and user research to understand the unique needs of scam-affected individuals.

• Showcase Journey Mapping & Service Blueprints: Visually present these artifacts, explaining the key touchpoints, backstage processes, and pain points you identified and addressed.

• Demonstrate UX/UI Integration: Clearly show how your service design thinking informed your UI/UX designs for digital touchpoints, and vice versa.

• Explain Operational Linkages: Explicitly describe how your proposed solutions would integrate with or improve existing operational processes and systems.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs you made, and how you would handle specific challenges or feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their personal design philosophy, especially concerning ethical design and user advocacy. The interviewers will be looking for not just technical design skills but also a deep understanding of the user's emotional state and operational realities, given the sensitive nature of scams.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight experience in service design, UX/UI, journey mapping, and working with vulnerable customer segments. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate your portfolio: Select 2-3 key projects that best showcase your skills in end-to-end journey design, operational integration, and handling complex user needs. Ensure it's easily accessible and clearly articulates your process and impact.

• Prepare for interview questions: Practice articulating your experience with the strategy, company, and culture questions outlined above. Be ready to walk through your portfolio with confidence.

• Research AFCA: Understand their mission, values, and the context of their work in financial dispute resolution. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.