Head of Service Design

Head of Service Design

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Lead the Service Design team, ensuring that user needs, business objectives, and technology translate into effective, scalable digital services.
• Develop frameworks and processes that align service design, user experience, product development, and technology
• Lead design efforts across multiple projects, driving progress and ensuring deadlines are met
• Balance project goals, timelines, and resource constraints while maintaining the highest design quality
• Support the development of roadmaps and strategic plans for design-related initiatives

User Research & Insights

• Conduct user research using qualitative and quantitative methods, such as interviews, surveys, usability testing, and data analysis, to uncover user behaviours, needs, and pain points
• Synthesise research findings into actionable insights to inform design decisions
• Support the development of user personas, journey maps, and other artefacts to communicate insights effectively to stakeholders
• Advocate for evidence-based decision-making, ensuring insights and research inform service-wide strategies

Experience Design (UX)

• Translate user insights into effective, data-driven design solutions that enhance the overall experience
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define user and business requirements, balancing both effectively
• Test and iterate on designs based on usability testing and feedback, ensuring continuous improvement

Interface Design (UI)

• Design intuitive, accessible, and visually engaging interfaces that adhere to brand guidelines and align with the Government Digital Service (GDS) standards where required
• Ensure designs are responsive, user-friendly, and optimised for a variety of devices, including mobile and web platforms
• Provide detailed design specifications and artefacts for developers and collaborate during implementation to ensure fidelity to the design vision

Collaboration and Communication

• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, developers, and researchers, to deliver cohesive solutions
• Present design concepts and rationales to stakeholders at all levels, ensuring alignment and buy-in
• Advocate for user-centred design principles across the organisation and promote best practices

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent
• 5+ years of experience as a Service Designer with a proven track record of delivering impactful digital products, preferably for public sector or regulatory clients or in a public sector or professional services environment. 
• Strong understanding of user-centred design (UCD) principles, design thinking, and data-driven design
• Expertise in conducting user research and usability testing, with the ability to translate findings into actionable insights
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience working closely with cross-functional teams
• Strong knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g. WCAG) and inclusive design practices
• Familiarity with GDS frameworks, Service Assessments and the Technology Code of Practice

Rewards and Benefits

We believe in supporting our employees in both their professional and personal lives. As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to:

• 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays(pro-rata for part time roles)
• Salary sacrifice schemes, retail vouchers – including our TechScheme which can be used on a range of gadgets such as Smart TV’s, laptops and computers or household appliances.
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Health Assessments
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Discounted gym memberships
• Referral Scheme

You will also have the opportunity to work for a global employer who is dedicated to offering each and every employee an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding career with future career development prospects!

Equality and Diversity

The Company values the differences that a diverse workforce brings to the organisation and will not discriminate because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (which includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (each of these being a “protected characteristic” in discrimination law). It will not discriminate because of any other irrelevant factor and will build a culture that values openness, fairness and transparency.

If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format or would like to make a reasonable adjustment to enable you to make an interview please contact us at careersatWL@williamslea.com(we do not accept applications to this email address).

View our Privacy Notice https://www.williamslea.com/privacy-statement