User Experience (UX) Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: User Experience (UX) Designer

Company: Symbiotic Digital

Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Job Type: Contract

Category: User Experience Design / Service Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-04

Experience Level: 7+ Years (Senior Level)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end service design initiatives to modernize digital service delivery across large, complex organizational environments.

• Utilize service design methodologies, including Value Stream Mapping and Service Blueprinting, to identify systemic gaps and opportunities.

• Drive adoption and scaling of digital services and products through user-centered design principles and strategic planning.

• Champion modern service delivery practices and digital service standards within Agile frameworks.

• Mentor teams to enhance service design practices and overall organizational maturity.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior-level UX Designer with a strong emphasis on service design and strategic modernization within complex, potentially government-adjacent environments. The focus is on systemic improvements rather than individual product UI design, requiring strong stakeholder management and analytical skills to navigate competing priorities and drive organizational change.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Orchestrate and lead comprehensive service design initiatives, ensuring improvements in the delivery, adoption, and scaling of digital products and services across diverse programs and organizations.

• Design, plan, and facilitate value stream mapping and service blueprinting sessions to pinpoint systemic inefficiencies, risks, and areas ripe for modernization.

• Leverage a blend of qualitative and quantitative data to validate identified service pain points, inform strategic prioritization, and shape actionable recommendations for service enhancement.

• Facilitate high-impact, cross-functional workshops and stakeholder engagements, fostering consensus and alignment among groups with potentially competing objectives.

• Act as a vocal advocate for user-centered service design principles and practices within existing Agile development and delivery environments.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to internal teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and elevating the organization's service design maturity.

• Conduct generative and evaluative research, including interviews, surveys, focus groups, and usability testing, to gather critical user insights.

• Define, measure, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) and service outcomes to demonstrate impact and guide future strategy.

• Develop and maintain productive working relationships with internal teams, external partners, and diverse stakeholder groups across multiple organizations.

• Apply project management and change management methodologies to effectively guide service transformation initiatives from conception to implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic, leadership-oriented role focused on organizational-level service transformation. The emphasis on "end-to-end initiatives," "complex environments," and "mentoring teams" indicates a need for a candidate who can operate autonomously and influence at a high level, rather than a purely execution-focused individual contributor.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Information Science, or a related field is typically expected for senior UX/Service Design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in service design, user research, experience design, UX design, and leading service design initiatives is required. This experience should encompass complex, large-scale environments and demonstrate a proven ability to drive systemic change.

Required Skills:

• Service Delivery & Service Design Expertise (30%):

  • Advanced proficiency in designing and evaluating complex service ecosystems spanning multiple organizations and stakeholder groups.
  • Deep expertise in Value Stream Mapping, Service Blueprinting, Stakeholder Mapping, Journey Mapping, and Prototyping.
  • Proven experience conducting generative and evaluative research, including user interviews, surveys, focus groups, and usability testing.
  • Ability to define and measure service KPIs and critical outcomes.
  • Demonstrated skill in facilitating collaborative workshops and co-creation sessions.
  • Strong understanding of modern service delivery practices and digital service standards.

• Relationship Building & Communication (30%):

  • Exceptional ability to influence, align, and build trust across diverse stakeholder groups with competing priorities.
  • Excellent written, verbal, visual, and presentation communication skills, capable of articulating complex ideas clearly.
  • Proven track record of building and maintaining productive working relationships across teams and external partners.
  • Skill in prioritizing and delegating work while ensuring sustained stakeholder engagement.

• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills (30%):

  • Strong ability to synthesize qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and evidence-based recommendations.
  • Experience evaluating competing service or UX design options and presenting well-supported recommendations.
  • Knowledge of designing service models that support phased adoption and scalable implementation.
  • Familiarity with governance, privacy, security, compliance, and digital standards considerations within large organizations.
  • Experience developing performance measurement frameworks for services.
  • Ability to provide strategic advice on multi-channel service delivery environments.

• Project Management & Change Management (10%):

  • Experience managing multiple concurrent service design initiatives effectively.
  • Ability to coordinate activities across diverse stakeholder groups and partner organizations.
  • Proven experience applying project management and change management practices to service transformation initiatives.
  • Strong capabilities in risk identification, planning, and mitigation.

• Must-Have Experience:

  • Extensive experience working across omnichannel environments.

  • Proven experience collaborating effectively with both internal and external stakeholders.

  • Experience leading or supervising stakeholder workshops, research sessions, insight synthesis, experience design direction, service blueprints, and UX prototypes.

  • Proven ability to assess the interplay of policy, operations, governance, technology, data, and funding models across organizations to design scalable solutions. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within public sector or government-adjacent organizations.

• Familiarity with specific Agile frameworks beyond general principles (e.g., Scrum, SAFe).

• Knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.

• Experience with design thinking facilitation and training.

📝 Enhancement Note: The detailed breakdown of skills with percentage weighting (30/30/30/10) is a strong indicator of the employer's priorities. The "Must-Have Experience" section further refines the candidate profile, emphasizing leadership in specific UX/service design activities and a critical understanding of organizational systems. The mention of "omnichannel environments" and "complex environments" suggests a need for experience with integrated customer journeys across various touchpoints.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end service design projects that demonstrate a clear understanding of user needs and business objectives.

• Include examples of Value Stream Maps, Service Blueprints, and Journey Maps, clearly illustrating the process and insights derived.

• Present case studies detailing how research findings (qualitative and quantitative) informed design decisions and led to tangible improvements.

• Highlight instances where you facilitated stakeholder workshops and achieved alignment on complex initiatives.

• Demonstrate experience in prototyping and iterating on service concepts, with evidence of user testing and feedback incorporation.

• Include examples of how you've measured the impact of service design interventions using KPIs and performance metrics.

• Showcase your ability to navigate and influence within complex organizational structures, detailing your stakeholder engagement strategies. Process Documentation:

• Provide documentation that clearly outlines your approach to conducting generative and evaluative user research.

• Include examples of how you've documented service ecosystems, identifying key touchpoints, actors, and potential friction points.

• Showcase your methods for synthesizing research data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Demonstrate your approach to collaborating with cross-functional teams and stakeholders throughout the design process.

• Include examples of how you've applied Agile principles to service design workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior role focused on systemic change, the portfolio should emphasize strategic impact and process leadership. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their methodologies and demonstrate how they've driven organizational adoption of new service designs, rather than just presenting polished UI mockups. The focus on "complex environments" and "governance, privacy, security, compliance" suggests portfolio pieces should reflect an understanding of these constraints.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the contract duration (12 months), senior experience level (7+ years), and location (Toronto, ON, Canada), a competitive hourly rate or equivalent annual salary is expected. For a senior UX/Service Designer in Toronto, typical contract rates can range from CAD $70 to $100+ per hour, which translates to an annual equivalent of approximately CAD $145,000 to $208,000+. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for specialized contract roles in major Canadian tech hubs and takes into account the seniority and specific skill set required.

Benefits: As this is a contract position, standard employee benefits (health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off) are typically not included unless specified by the contracting agency or client. However, contractors often benefit from:

• Higher hourly/daily rates to compensate for the lack of traditional benefits.

• Potential for extended contract periods or conversion to full-time employment (though not guaranteed).

• Opportunities to work on diverse and challenging projects, expanding professional experience.

• Flexibility in work schedule, though this role is primarily on-site.

Working Hours: The role specifies a standard 40-hour work week, typical for a full-time equivalent contract. While the nature of contract work can sometimes offer flexibility, the on-site requirement and the demanding nature of leading complex initiatives suggest a consistent, dedicated presence will be necessary.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation for contract roles requires careful consideration of hourly rates versus annualized equivalents, factoring in the absence of standard employee benefits. The provided range is based on market data for senior UX/Service Design contractors in Toronto, Canada, and acknowledges the specialized nature of the role. It's crucial for candidates to negotiate based on their specific experience and the full scope of responsibilities.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Symbiotic Digital operates within the IT Consulting and Recruitment sectors, serving as a provider of "Digital Experts" and staffing solutions. They emphasize providing IT experts who solve problems and deliver results, with a focus on quality management systems and proven expertise. The company also highlights its identity as a 100% Indigenous-owned company, which often signifies a commitment to specific cultural values and community engagement.

Company Size: Symbiotic Digital is part of Symbiotic Group Inc. While specific employee numbers for Symbiotic Digital aren't provided, the parent company likely operates with a significant team to support both consulting and recruitment services, suggesting a medium to large-sized organization. This size implies structured processes and potential for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: The company's founding date is not explicitly stated, but its established presence and distinct service offerings (Digital Experts and Recruitment) suggest a mature organization with experience in the IT talent market.

Team Structure:

• The UX Designer will likely be part of a project team, potentially working within a client's existing organizational structure or as part of Symbiotic Digital's consulting cadre.

• Reporting structure will likely involve a Project Manager or a Service Design Lead within Symbiotic Digital, with close collaboration with client-side stakeholders and product owners.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core requirement, necessitating interaction with business analysts, developers, product managers, and executive stakeholders to drive service design initiatives. Methodology:

• Symbiotic Digital emphasizes a "proven QMS - Quality Management System Staff Development Model," suggesting a structured approach to talent evaluation and project delivery.

• The "Digital Experts" arm implies a focus on delivering practical, results-oriented solutions, likely employing industry best practices in service design, UX, and project management.

• The company's approach likely involves deep client engagement to understand specific business and IT challenges before deploying expert staff.

Company Website: https://www.symbioticgroup.com/home-sd/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's identity as an Indigenous-owned firm is a significant cultural aspect that may influence workplace values and community engagement. Their dual focus on consulting and recruitment suggests a deep understanding of market needs and talent acquisition strategies. The emphasis on a "Quality Management System" points towards a structured, process-driven environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Senior User Experience (UX) Designer, focusing heavily on Service Design. It signifies a leadership position where the individual is expected to independently lead complex initiatives, mentor others, and influence strategic decisions related to service delivery and digital transformation. The 7+ years of experience requirement reinforces this senior designation.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will likely report to a Project Manager or a Director of Service Design/Digital Transformation within Symbiotic Digital or the client organization. Close collaboration with client stakeholders, including senior leadership, business analysts, and development teams, is integral to the role's success.

Operations Impact: The primary impact of this role is on improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction of digital services. By modernizing service delivery, the UX Designer directly influences adoption rates, scalability, operational costs, and the overall user experience across complex organizational systems. This strategic impact can lead to significant cost savings and revenue optimization for the client.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced service design methodologies, digital transformation strategy, and specific industry verticals (e.g., public sector, finance).

• Leadership: Transition into roles such as Lead Service Designer, Head of UX/Service Design, or Digital Transformation Lead, managing teams and broader strategic portfolios.

• Consulting Expertise: Develop advanced client management and business development skills within the IT consulting domain.

• Project Management: Gain experience managing larger, more complex transformation projects, potentially leading to PMP or similar certifications.

• Client-Side Transition: Leverage the experience gained to move into senior UX/Service Design roles within large client organizations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential beyond individual contribution, pushing into strategic leadership and organizational influence. The emphasis on "end-to-end initiatives" and "complex environments" means growth will likely come from tackling increasingly challenging transformation projects and demonstrating leadership in driving change.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is specified as "On-site," indicating a requirement to work from a physical office location. Given the location is Toronto, ON, this likely means working within a client's office space, potentially in a government or large corporate setting, or a Symbiotic Digital office if applicable.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is Toronto, ON, Canada. The specific office would be determined by the client engagement. This location is a major business hub, offering access to diverse industries and professional networks.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will likely be collaborative, requiring frequent interaction with diverse teams, including client stakeholders, project managers, and fellow consultants.

• Access to necessary tools and technology for design, research, and collaboration will be provided, aligned with the client's standard stack.

• The environment is expected to be dynamic and fast-paced, typical of consulting projects focused on transformation and modernization.

• Opportunities for informal knowledge sharing and problem-solving with colleagues and client teams will be abundant.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time contract. While on-site, there might be some flexibility in daily start/end times depending on project needs and client policy, but adherence to a professional workday is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" requirement is critical for this role, emphasizing the need for direct collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and a hands-on approach within the client's operational environment. This suggests that the role involves more than just remote design work; it requires active participation in workshops, meetings, and team discussions within a physical setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and application to assess alignment with the 7+ years of experience and core skill requirements.

• Technical/Skills Interview: A focused discussion with a hiring manager or senior team member to delve into your experience with service design methodologies (Value Stream Mapping, Service Blueprinting), user research techniques, and stakeholder management. Be prepared to discuss specific examples from your past projects.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session to present and discuss your portfolio. This is where you will articulate your process, challenges, solutions, and impact for key projects. Focus on how you led initiatives and influenced outcomes.

• Case Study/Scenario-Based Interview: You may be presented with a hypothetical service design challenge or scenario to assess your problem-solving approach, analytical skills, and ability to apply service design principles under pressure.

• Cultural Fit/Team Interview: Discussions to evaluate your collaboration style, communication effectiveness, ability to mentor, and alignment with Symbiotic Digital's and the client's organizational culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your most impactful service design projects that best showcase leadership, end-to-end ownership, and complex problem-solving. Prioritize projects demonstrating work in large, complex environments or government contexts.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem/challenge, your role and responsibilities, the methodologies used (Value Stream Mapping, Service Blueprinting, research), your key insights, the solutions developed, the implementation process, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize instances where you led workshops, mentored teams, influenced stakeholders, and navigated organizational complexities. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "reduced process time by X%", "improved user satisfaction scores by Y%").

• Visual Aids: Use clear visuals (diagrams, blueprints, journey maps) to support your explanations. Be prepared to discuss your process in detail and answer in-depth questions about your decision-making.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your choices and how they aligned with user needs and business objectives.

Challenge Preparation:

• Review common service design challenges, such as improving onboarding processes, streamlining customer support, or digitizing manual workflows.

• Practice articulating your problem-solving framework, including how you would gather information, analyze data, engage stakeholders, and propose solutions.

• Be ready to discuss how you would handle conflicting stakeholder priorities or resistance to change.

• Prepare to discuss how you would measure the success of your proposed solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application of service design principles, leadership, and the ability to translate strategy into tangible results within complex organizational settings. The portfolio review is a critical component, requiring candidates to demonstrate a deep understanding of their process and impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Service Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Miro, Mural, Lucidchart, Visio (for diagramming and collaboration).

• User Research & Analysis: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Qualtrics, UserTesting.com, Dovetail, NVivo (for qualitative data analysis).

• Project Management & Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Microsoft Teams, Slack.

• CRM & Automation: While not directly a UX tool, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation platforms integrate with user journeys is beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Power BI, Tableau (for understanding user behavior data and reporting on service performance).

• Tools for defining and tracking Service KPIs. CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how user experience translates into customer relationship management and automated workflows is advantageous. Familiarity with how customer data flows through CRM systems and impacts service delivery is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is UX/Service Design, proficiency in collaboration and diagramming tools like Miro or Mural is essential for workshop facilitation. Familiarity with analytical tools and an understanding of how user journeys impact CRM and automation is also highly relevant for a strategic service design role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the end-user throughout the service design process.

• Collaboration: A strong belief in cross-functional teamwork and co-creation to achieve the best outcomes.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data to inform design choices and measure impact.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of iterating, learning, and refining services based on feedback and performance metrics.

• Impact Orientation: Focusing on delivering tangible business value and measurable improvements through service design.

• Indigenous Values (Potentially): As a 100% Indigenous-owned company, Symbiotic Digital may uphold values such as respect, community, connection, and long-term thinking, which can influence decision-making and collaboration.

Collaboration Style:

• The role requires a highly collaborative style, working closely with a diverse range of stakeholders from different departments and levels within the client organization.

• Emphasis on facilitating workshops, building consensus, and communicating effectively to ensure alignment and buy-in.

• Openness to feedback and a willingness to iterate on designs based on input from various sources.

• A proactive approach to sharing knowledge and insights with team members and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's Indigenous ownership suggests a potential emphasis on values beyond typical corporate objectives. Candidates should be mindful of and potentially able to articulate how they align with or respect such foundational values, in addition to core operational excellence principles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Organizational Structures: Working within large, potentially bureaucratic environments with established processes and diverse stakeholder interests can be challenging.

• Driving Change Management: Overcoming resistance to new ways of working and influencing adoption of modernized services requires strong change management skills.

• Balancing Competing Priorities: Aligning stakeholders with differing objectives and resource constraints is a constant challenge in large-scale initiatives.

• Demonstrating ROI: Clearly articulating and measuring the return on investment for service design initiatives, especially in non-revenue generating contexts like government services, requires robust metrics and reporting.

• Integration of Digital Standards: Ensuring new service designs adhere to existing digital service standards, governance, privacy, and security protocols can add complexity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to deepen expertise in cutting-edge service design, digital transformation, and organizational change management frameworks.

• Industry Exposure: Gain invaluable experience working across various complex projects and industries, particularly within the public sector context (given the location and potential client base).

• Leadership Development: Develop leadership skills through mentoring, workshop facilitation, and strategic influence.

• Networking: Build a strong professional network with clients and colleagues in the IT consulting and public service sectors.

• Skill Specialization: Potential to specialize in areas like accessibility, ethical design, or specific digital transformation domains.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to strategic transformation roles in large organizations. Growth opportunities are tied to overcoming these challenges and developing the expertise and influence required for senior leadership positions.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex service design initiative you led from end-to-end. What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them? What was the impact?" (Focus on your process, leadership, and results.)

• "How do you approach mapping value streams and service blueprints in an organization with multiple, potentially siloed departments? What techniques do you use to gain buy-in?" (Assess your methodology and stakeholder engagement skills.)

• "How do you balance the needs of diverse stakeholders with competing priorities when designing a new service? Provide an example." (Tests your negotiation, facilitation, and alignment skills.)

• "Walk me through your process for conducting user research in a large organization. How do you ensure your findings are representative and actionable?" (Evaluates your research rigor and analytical approach.)

• "How do you define and measure success for a service design initiative? What KPIs do you typically track?" (Focus on your metrics-driven approach and understanding of impact.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Symbiotic Digital and our approach to providing 'Digital Experts'?" (Demonstrate you've researched the company.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to the modernization of digital services within a large, complex environment?" (Align your skills with the role's objectives.)

• "Our company is 100% Indigenous-owned. How do you approach collaboration and respect in a diverse team environment?" (Showcase cultural awareness and adaptability.)

• "How do you stay current with modern service delivery practices and digital service standards?" (Highlight your commitment to continuous learning.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Begin each case study by clearly stating the business problem or user need and the ultimate goal of the initiative.

• Detail Your Process: Walk through your methodology step-by-step, explaining your rationale for choosing specific tools and techniques (e.g., why Value Stream Mapping was appropriate).

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively. Present your service blueprints, journey maps, research findings, and prototypes. Explain what they represent and the insights they provided.

• Highlight Leadership & Collaboration: Emphasize your role in leading workshops, synthesizing input from various stakeholders, and building consensus.

• Quantify Impact: Conclude each case study with the measurable outcomes achieved. If exact numbers are unavailable, discuss the intended impact and how success was defined.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design decisions, challenges encountered, trade-offs made, and alternative approaches considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice is tailored to assess the candidate's strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and practical application of service design principles within the context of complex organizational transformation. Emphasizing the company's unique ownership structure is also a key consideration.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this User Experience (UX) Designer position:

• Submit your resume and a compelling cover letter (if requested) through the Symbiotic Digital careers portal or via the provided email address (RecDep@symbioticgroup.com).

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature 2-3 of your most relevant service design or UX projects, specifically highlighting experience in complex environments, end-to-end initiative leadership, and stakeholder management. Ensure it showcases your proficiency with methodologies like Value Stream Mapping and Service Blueprinting.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to include keywords from the job description, such as "Service Design," "UX Design," "Value Stream Mapping," "Service Blueprinting," "Stakeholder Engagement," "Agile," "Omnichannel," and "Digital Service Standards." Quantify your achievements and leadership responsibilities.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions. Prepare to walk through your portfolio with confidence, focusing on process, impact, and leadership. Research Symbiotic Digital and their values, particularly their Indigenous ownership.

• Company Research: Understand Symbiotic Digital's business model (Digital Experts, Recruitment) and their commitment to quality management. Familiarize yourself with their website and any case studies or client testimonials available.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with Symbiotic Digital before making application decisions. The contract nature of this role means specific benefit inclusions and compensation details should be clarified during the interview process.