Job summary

As a service designer you'll create and improve services so they work well for users and meet business goals. Your job is to look at the whole journey a user takes when using a service and make sure every part of that journey is designed to work smoothly.

Service designers work closely with different teams, including users, business analysts, developers, and other designers. You will use research and data to understand what users need, where things might be going wrong, and how to make services better.

You will often create maps of the user's journey to identify key points where improvements can be made.

A big part of the role is ensuring that services are accessible and inclusive, so they work for everyone, regardless of their abilities or circumstances.

As a service designer, you will combine creativity with practical problem-solving, working closely with others to improve services continuously.

We are looking for service designers to join our friendly and ambitious multi-disciplinary agile team. You will work with analysts, product managers, designers, delivery managers and content specialists to directly deliver better outcomes for our users.

If you are successful, you could be working on:

1. Customer Experience and Design: As part of the Customer Experience and Design Division, you will be transforming the way government works for citizens and learners of all ages, as well as businesses and educators. We partner with teams across DfE to champion user needs, connect, improve and simplify services.

2. Service design across multiple projects in the Department for Education�s Infrastructure and Platforms division. The division builds and maintains the core IT infrastructure that underpins our digital services, including cross-cutting platforms and services for identity management, eligibility checking, API management, artificial intelligence platforms and customer relationship management. We also operate and maintain the Department�s cloud computing environments, networks and on-premises infrastructure ensuring they remain safe, available and performant.

Job description

Job Responsibilities:

Lead the interative design of user-centred services, adapting based on user feedback, data, and requirements. Use both qualitative and quantitative data to inform your design decisions, ensuring services meet user needs and department requirements. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, contributing to shared visions, goals, and outcomes. Communicate design concepts clearly to stakeholders, using storytelling and evidence to influence decision-making. Support the implementation of service design strategies that align with broader department objectives. Ensure products are accessible and designed inclusively, meeting the diverse needs of all users, in line with government and department standards.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

Experience of leading user-centred design initiatives, applying iterative design principles, and using user research to drive continuous improvement, including mapping services and user journeys. Ability to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data, including user behaviour and service performance insights, to inform and iterate on service design decisions. Strong communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design ideas, influence stakeholders through storytelling and evidence-based insights. Experience working in multidisciplinary teams, incorporating diverse perspectives, and ensuring designs are inclusive and meet accessibility standards.

Desirable Criteria:

Experience of working with advanced iterative methodologies such as Lean UX. Proficiency in advanced data analysis tools and techniques to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement. Expertise in facilitating co-design workshops with diverse stakeholders and enabling effective collaboration across large or complex organisations. Advanced understanding of inclusive design principles, with experience of working in projects that prioritise accessibility and cater to the diverse needs of users.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview, in the event of a tie break situation, to make an informed decision.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of �39,483, Department for Education contributes �11,438 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department�s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years� service. In addition, all staff receive the King�s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days� bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending�at least 60% of�their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in�exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the�line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.