Service Designer / UX Designer (Public Sector)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Service Designer / UX Designer (Public Sector)

Company: Version 1

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Service Design / UX Design (Public Sector)

Date Posted: 2026-07-28

Experience Level: Mid-Level (4+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a hybrid of Service Design and UX Design, with a primary focus on Service Design principles and public sector transformation initiatives.

• You will be responsible for the end-to-end design of user-centered services, from initial discovery and research through to implementation and ongoing optimization.

• A key aspect of this role involves deep user research, stakeholder engagement, and translating complex requirements into intuitive and accessible service experiences.

• The position requires a strong understanding of accessibility, Universal Design principles, and the ability to apply these to create inclusive digital and physical services within the public sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title clearly indicates a "Service Designer first, UX Designer second" approach, emphasizing a holistic service lifecycle perspective over purely digital interface design. The public sector context suggests a need for navigating complex organizational structures, diverse user needs, and stringent regulatory requirements, particularly concerning accessibility and inclusivity.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Service Design Delivery: Lead and execute service design projects from discovery and definition to delivery, implementation, and continuous improvement phases.

• User Research & Insight Generation: Plan, conduct, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative user research (interviews, surveys, field studies) to uncover user needs, pain points, and behaviors.

• Service Blueprinting & Journey Mapping: Develop comprehensive service blueprints, customer journey maps, and ecosystem maps to visualize current and future-state service interactions and identify key improvement areas.

• Solution Design & Prototyping: Translate research findings and requirements into actionable service design solutions, creating wireframes, prototypes, and user flows to illustrate concepts.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation: Facilitate workshops, co-creation sessions, and design sprints with diverse stakeholders (senior management, SMEs, delivery teams) to gather input, build consensus, and drive design decisions.

• Accessibility & Inclusive Design Advocacy: Champion and apply Universal Design principles and inclusive design practices throughout the service design process, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including developers, business analysts, and project managers, to ensure seamless integration of design solutions.

• Performance Measurement & Optimization: Define metrics and monitoring approaches to assess service effectiveness, using data and feedback to drive continuous service improvement.

• AI Tool Integration: Leverage AI tools responsibly to enhance user research, generate insights, explore design concepts, and synthesize information, while adhering to organizational governance.

• Capability Building: Contribute to the development of service design and UX practices within the organization and mentor junior team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic service transformation and tactical design execution. The emphasis on "end-to-end" delivery and "continuous improvement" suggests a need for candidates who can manage projects independently and are focused on measurable outcomes, particularly within the context of public sector service delivery where citizen satisfaction and efficiency are paramount.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Design-related qualification at NFQ Level 7 or above (or equivalent).

• While a formal degree is listed, a strong portfolio demonstrating practical application of skills is often paramount in design roles. Experience:

• Minimum of 4+ years of proven experience in Service Design, UX Design, Interaction Design, or a closely related discipline.

• Demonstrable experience delivering end-to-end service design or UX projects within structured project environments.

• Experience working within the public sector or large, complex public-facing organizations is highly desirable.

• Experience supporting digital transformation or service transformation programs is a significant plus. Required Skills:

• Service Design Methodologies: Deep understanding and practical application of service design principles, frameworks (e.g., Double Diamond), and tools.

• User Research & Analysis: Expertise in planning and conducting various user research methods (interviews, surveys, usability testing) and synthesizing findings into actionable insights.

• Design Tools Proficiency: Mastery of key design and collaboration tools, specifically Figma, Miro, and Canva.

• Information Architecture & UX Design: Ability to create effective customer journey maps, service blueprints, personas, user stories, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Stakeholder Management & Facilitation: Proven ability to engage with, influence, and facilitate sessions for senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams.

• Accessibility & Inclusive Design: Strong knowledge of Universal Design principles, WCAG guidelines, and inclusive design practices.

• Communication Skills: Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication for presenting complex ideas to diverse audiences.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to identify user needs and business challenges and translate them into effective service design solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience contributing to UX and Service Design strategy development.

• Experience creating and maintaining design systems and style guides.

• Familiarity with Agile, Lean UX, or other relevant project management methodologies.

• Experience using AI-enabled tools to support the design process.

• Experience coaching, mentoring, or developing junior team members.

• Knowledge of accessibility legislation and digital inclusion best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Essential Requirements" are robust, indicating a need for experienced practitioners. The emphasis on "NFQ Level 7 or above" suggests a formal educational component, but the "proven experience" and specific tool proficiencies will likely be weighted heavily. The distinction between "essential" and "desirable" clearly outlines the core competencies versus areas that would make a candidate stand out, particularly experience in the public sector and with AI tools.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing end-to-end service design or UX projects. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used, key challenges, design decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• Process Documentation: Demonstrate your ability to create and utilize key service design artifacts such as service blueprints, customer journey maps, personas, and user flow diagrams.

• Research & Testing: Include examples of user research plans, synthesis of findings, and usability testing reports, highlighting how insights informed design decisions.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Present examples of wireframes and interactive prototypes created using tools like Figma, demonstrating your ability to visualize and iterate on service concepts.

• Accessibility Focus: Highlight projects where accessibility and inclusive design principles were a core consideration and how they were implemented.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Submissions should illustrate your approach to mapping existing service workflows and designing optimized future-state workflows.

• Implementation & Automation: Where applicable, showcase how your designs were implemented and how they contributed to efficiency or automation of service delivery.

• Measurement & Analysis: Include examples of how you have defined metrics, collected data, and analyzed service performance to drive iterative improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Service Designer/UX Designer role, a strong portfolio is critical. The emphasis should be on demonstrating a structured, user-centered design process and the ability to translate complex service requirements into tangible design solutions with measurable impact. The inclusion of specific artifacts like service blueprints and journey maps is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €45,000 - €55,000 per year

Benefits:

• Financial Wellbeing:

  • Quarterly Performance-Related Profit Share Scheme
  • Pension with 5% employee-matched contribution
  • Private Healthcare Cover
  • Life Assurance
  • Financial advice services
  • Employee Discount Scheme

• Career & Development:

  • Strong Career Progression & mentorship coaching (Strength in Balance & Leadership schemes)
  • Dedicated quarterly Pathways Career Development programme
  • Educational assistance
  • Incentivised certifications and accreditations (e.g., AWS, Microsoft, Oracle, Red Hat)

• Work-Life Balance & Wellbeing:

  • Flexible/remote working options to support work-life balance
  • 24 days holiday allowance plus Public Holidays
  • Enhanced maternity/paternity leave, marriage/civil partnership leave, and special leave policies
  • Gym Discounts
  • Bike to Work scheme
  • Fitness classes
  • Mindfulness Workshops
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

• Recognition:

  • Reward schemes including Annual Excellence Awards & quarterly Star Awards.

• Community & Social:

  • Environment, Social and Community First initiatives (fundraising, development opportunities)

  • Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives. Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week. The description mentions flexibility, suggesting a focus on output and work-life balance rather than strict adherence to hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to Dublin, Ireland, and aligns with mid-level design roles in the region. The benefits package is extensive, covering financial security, professional growth, and employee wellbeing, which are strong selling points. The mention of flexible/remote working indicates a hybrid arrangement, likely with some required office days for collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Consulting, Government & Public Sector, Software. Version 1 is a significant player in providing technology and transformation solutions, with a strong focus on cloud (AWS, Microsoft), data, and digital platforms.

Company Size: 3300+ employees, a €350m/£300m revenue business. This indicates a large, established organization with the resources and structure to undertake significant transformation projects.

Founded: Over 30 years ago. This long history suggests stability, deep expertise, and a proven track record in the technology services sector.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the "Public Sector & Utilities (Ireland)" department, implying a dedicated team focused on government and utility clients.

• As a Service Designer/UX Designer, you will likely be part of a broader design or digital transformation practice, working within project-based multidisciplinary teams.

• Collaboration is expected with senior stakeholders, subject matter experts (SMEs), delivery teams, and technical teams, indicating a matrixed or project-oriented team structure. Methodology:

• Version 1 emphasizes strong partnerships with technology leaders and a commitment to delivering high-quality solutions.

• The company culture is described as "core values driven," emphasizing integrity, collaboration, and customer focus.

• The "Great Place to Work" accolades suggest a positive employee experience, focus on wellbeing, and a supportive environment.

• The "Public Sector & Utilities" focus implies a methodology that balances innovation with compliance, efficiency, and citizen-centricity.

Company Website: https://www.version1.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Version 1's long history and significant size suggest a formal organizational structure with established processes, but also opportunities for impact within specialized departments like Public Sector. The company's partnership ecosystem (Microsoft, AWS, etc.) may influence the technology stack and project types. The "Great Place to Work" status is a strong indicator of a positive and supportive work environment, which is attractive to many professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Practitioner. This role is for an experienced designer (4+ years) capable of independent project delivery and contributing to strategic discussions, rather than an entry-level or senior leadership position.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Design Lead, Service Design Manager, or Digital Transformation Lead within the Public Sector & Utilities division. Direct reporting lines may vary based on project assignments.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts the efficiency, accessibility, and user satisfaction of public sector services. By redesigning services, the designer contributes to improved citizen outcomes, operational cost savings, and enhanced digital engagement for government entities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in public sector service design, accessibility, or specific digital transformation areas.

• Leadership: Progress to Senior Service Designer, Lead UX Designer, or Design Manager roles, mentoring junior staff and leading larger initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Develop a broader understanding of digital transformation, cloud technologies, and project management within the public sector context.

• Client Engagement: Gain experience presenting to and advising senior government officials and stakeholders.

• Skill Development: Access to incentivised certifications and educational assistance can support acquiring new skills relevant to evolving design and technology trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a Service Designer/UX Designer at a company like Version 1 within the public sector can be quite structured. Growth often involves taking on more complex projects, leading design aspects of larger transformation programs, and potentially moving into team leadership or specialist roles. The "Pathways Career Development programme" is a concrete indicator of structured growth support.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. The role description and additional information mention flexible/remote working, indicating a blend of remote work and in-office collaboration.

Office Location(s): Dublin, Ireland. Specific office details would need to be confirmed, but it's a major city with established business infrastructure.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic workspace that encourages collaboration, co-creation, and cross-functional teamwork, especially during in-office days.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma, Miro, Canva) and potentially other project management or collaboration software.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact with a diverse range of professionals, including designers, developers, consultants, and public sector clients.

Work Schedule: Standard working hours (around 40 hours/week) with flexibility offered to support work-life balance. This allows for focused design work, research, and stakeholder engagement, while accommodating personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is typical for modern professional services firms. The emphasis on collaboration suggests designated days or occasions for in-office work to facilitate workshops, team meetings, and client interactions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess essential qualifications and experience.

• First Interview: Likely with a hiring manager or senior designer to discuss experience, approach to service design, and cultural fit. Expect questions about past projects and problem-solving skills.

• Design Exercise/Case Study Presentation: Candidates may be asked to complete a take-home design challenge or present a detailed case study from their portfolio. This will focus on their process, thinking, and ability to articulate design decisions and outcomes.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with additional stakeholders, team members, or senior leadership to assess broader fit and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio with clear case studies that follow a logical narrative: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Outcomes.

• Process Emphasis: Clearly articulate your design process, the methodologies you employed (e.g., Double Diamond, user-centered design), and how you adapted them.

• User-Centricity: Demonstrate how user needs and research insights drove your design decisions. Quantify impact where possible.

• Tool Proficiency: Showcase your skills with Figma, Miro, and Canva through your project examples.

• Accessibility: Explicitly highlight how you incorporated accessibility and inclusive design principles.

• Public Sector Relevance: If possible, include projects with similar complexities or user bases to public sector services.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a case study, thoroughly research Version 1, their work in the public sector, and common challenges in public service design.

• Articulate Your Process: Be prepared to walk through your design process methodically, explaining your rationale at each step.

• Focus on Outcomes: Emphasize the measurable impact of your design interventions (e.g., improved efficiency, user satisfaction, accessibility compliance).

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice explaining complex design concepts and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on demonstrating practical design skills and a robust process through the portfolio. The "Service Designer first" emphasis means candidates should be prepared to discuss the broader service ecosystem and stakeholder management, not just the digital interface.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: For wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaborative design system development. Expect proficiency in creating interactive prototypes and component-based designs.

• Miro: For collaborative whiteboarding, workshop facilitation, journey mapping, service blueprinting, brainstorming, and affinity diagramming. Essential for remote and hybrid collaboration.

• Canva: Likely used for creating presentations, reports, and visual assets, particularly for stakeholder communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, familiarity with user analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Hotjar) and data visualization tools would be beneficial for understanding service performance and driving continuous improvement. CRM & Automation:

• Experience with CRM systems or workflow automation tools is not directly mentioned but could be relevant if designing integrated services that interact with backend systems or customer management platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools listed (Figma, Miro, Canva) are standard for UX and Service Designers. Proficiency in Figma for detailed design and Miro for collaborative ideation and mapping is crucial. The mention of AI tools suggests an openness to leveraging emerging technologies in the design workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A strong emphasis on understanding and meeting the needs of citizens and public sector clients.

• Integrity & Trust: Essential for working within the public sector and with sensitive data.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across multidisciplinary teams and with diverse stakeholders.

• Innovation & Transformation: Driving positive change and modernizing public services through design.

• Excellence: Commitment to delivering high-quality, effective, and accessible solutions.

• Inclusivity: Championing accessibility and ensuring services are usable by everyone.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect to work closely with project managers, business analysts, developers, and public sector client representatives.

• Workshop-Driven: A culture that values co-creation and collaborative problem-solving through facilitated sessions.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Combining user research, analytics, and stakeholder input to guide design choices.

• Continuous Improvement: An iterative approach to design and service delivery, with feedback loops for refinement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Version 1's stated company values (likely integrity, collaboration, customer focus, innovation) are key. In the public sector context, these translate to a strong sense of public service, ethical considerations, and a commitment to delivering tangible benefits to citizens.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Public Sector Complexity: Understanding and adapting to the unique procurement processes, stakeholder landscapes, and regulatory environments of public sector organizations.

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Designing services that cater to a wide range of user needs, abilities, and digital literacy levels within the general public.

• Driving Adoption of New Methods: Introducing and embedding user-centered design and service design principles within potentially traditional public sector structures.

• Demonstrating ROI: Clearly articulating the value and return on investment of design interventions to public sector clients, who often have strict budget constraints.

• Integrating AI Responsibly: Effectively leveraging AI tools while ensuring ethical use, data privacy, and alignment with organizational governance.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Public Sector Domain Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge of public service delivery, policy, and citizen needs.

• Advanced Design Skills: Specializing in areas like ethical AI in design, complex system mapping, or advanced accessibility testing.

• Transformation Leadership: Developing skills to lead significant digital and service transformation initiatives.

• Mentorship: Learning from experienced consultants and designers within Version 1.

• Certifications: Pursuing industry-recognized certifications in design, cloud technologies, or project management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working in the public sector and in a consulting role. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering paths towards deeper domain expertise, leadership, and strategic influence.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex public sector service you've redesigned. What were the key challenges, your approach, and the measurable outcomes?" (Focus on end-to-end process, stakeholder management, and impact.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility and inclusivity are core to your service design process, especially when dealing with diverse user groups?" (Highlight specific principles and methods.)

• "Walk us through your process for creating a service blueprint or customer journey map. What insights did it reveal and how did it influence the design?" (Demonstrate your mapping skills and analytical thinking.)

• "How would you approach facilitating a design workshop with senior public sector officials who may be resistant to new methodologies?" (Showcase facilitation and stakeholder management skills.)

• "Discuss your experience using AI tools in your design process. What are the benefits and potential pitfalls?" (Prepare examples of AI application and responsible usage.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working for Version 1, and specifically within our Public Sector & Utilities division?" (Research Version 1's values, projects, and public sector work.)

• "How do you see your skills contributing to the transformation of public services in Ireland?" (Align your experience with the company's mission.)

• "Describe a time you collaborated with a multidisciplinary team. What was your role and how did you ensure successful outcomes?" (Highlight teamwork and communication.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Your Best: Choose 2-3 case studies that best showcase your service design process, problem-solving abilities, and impact, ideally including public sector or complex service examples.

• Tell a Story: Frame each case study as a narrative, detailing the context, your specific contributions, the challenges you overcame, and the results achieved.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, diagrams, prototypes) to illustrate your work and process.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased user satisfaction, reduced process time, improved accessibility scores).

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Prepare to answer detailed questions about your decisions, methodologies, and any trade-offs you made.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice is tailored to emphasize the "Service Designer first" aspect, focusing on broader service transformation, stakeholder engagement, and public sector context, in addition to core UX skills and tool proficiency.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Service Designer / UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on smartrecruiters.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight your experience in service design, user research, accessibility, and public sector projects. Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates your process and impact.

• Resume Optimization: Use keywords from the job description such as "Service Design," "UX Design," "User Research," "Public Sector," "Figma," "Miro," and "Accessibility." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, project outcomes, and how you handle stakeholder engagement. Prepare specific examples for behavioral and situational questions.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Version 1's work in the public sector, their core values, and their approach to technology and transformation.

⚠️ 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.