Lead Service Designer – Government Digital Services

Inside IR35: Up to £550 per day
Predominantly remote – travel to Leeds approximately 1-2 times per month
ASAP – 6 months, extension expected

We are looking for an experienced Lead Service Designer to shape a complex digital service within a major public-sector programme. You will take a service-wide view of user journeys, operational processes and supporting systems, identifying opportunities to create a more joined-up and accessible experience. Working within a multidisciplinary team, you will lead service-design activity across the delivery lifecycle and ensure decisions are grounded in user needs and government digital standards.

Role responsibilities

• Lead service-design activity across discovery, alpha and beta phases.

• Map end-to-end user journeys, operational processes, systems and service dependencies.

• Create service blueprints that connect front-stage user experiences with supporting processes.

• Identify service gaps, pain points and opportunities for improvement.

• Plan and facilitate workshops with users, stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams.

• Work closely with User Research, Product, Content, Interaction Design and Delivery colleagues.

• Translate research and operational insight into clear service concepts and recommendations.

• Support alignment with the GDS Service Standard and preparation for service assessments.

Key experience and requirements

• Extensive Service Design experience within UK government digital programmes.

• Strong knowledge of GDS standards, service phases and user-centred design practices.

• Experience leading service-design work through discovery, alpha and beta.

• Advanced journey-mapping, service-blueprinting and systems-thinking capabilities.

• Strong workshop facilitation and stakeholder-engagement skills.

• Experience working within agile multidisciplinary teams on complex digital services.

• Ability to communicate service challenges and recommendations to senior stakeholders.

• Availability to travel to Leeds approximately 1-2 times per month.