Service Designer

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., + 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., Your statement of suitability (max 1000 words) should demonstrate your experience and suitability for the role against the essential criteria listed in the person specification section above.
Your CV and statement will be assessed together against the listed essential criteria.
We expect to sift in week commencing 14 October 2024.
Interview:
Those successful at sift will be invited to attend an interview.
The interview will be one hour long and is made up of two parts.
Part 1 – 10 minutes - presentation
You will be asked to prepare and present a piece of service design work you have done and be prepared to answer some questions from the panel. The presentation will be assessed against the essential criteria.
Part 2 – Questions
At interview we will ask questions to further assess your experience in relation to the listed essential criteria. You will get these questions the day before the interview.
The presentation and questions together will be used to assess your experience against the essential criteria.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
Interviews will likely take place in the week commencing 21 October 2024 on MS Teams.
Once a provisional offer has been made, you will be invited to participate in a capability assessment to determine the value of the CBP allowance we can offer you. The assessment will not affect the outcome of the offer, this is to establish the successful candidate's salary. The assessment compares your skills against the Service Designer role described in DfE’s local Service Design Capability Framework, which is based on the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.
Subject to your availability, we will aim to conduct the capability assessment and confirm the allowance offer to you within a week of the provisional offer being made.
This post is eligible for a Digital, Data and Technology (DDT) capability based pay (CBP) allowance.
This is a discretionary non-consolidated, non-pensionable allowance which, if awarded, is attached to the post. The value of the allowance is based on the outcome of a capability assessment and is reviewed annually. Allowance values range up to £13,000, with the highest values reserved for candidates whose capability is above the expected level for all of the skills.
Other Information
In your application, please don’t include personal information that identifies you.
This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - it's called name blind recruitment (opens in a new window).
Please ensure that you remove from your application, all references to your:
+ name/title
+ educational institutions
+ age
+ gender
+ email address
+ postal address
+ phone number
+ nationality/immigration status
We understand that you might use AI and other resources for your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. This is so that your application is authentically and credibly your own.
We reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark in the event of a high volume or strong field of candidates.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK from the location options provided and not from overseas.
The government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, enabling people to learn and progress in a role whilst earning. We want to monitor the number of people who have completed apprenticeships who are now applying to progress further in their career and are asking this question to all candidates, on all vacancies. You will be asked a question as part of the application process about any previous apprenticeships you have completed. Your response to this question will not affect your application and it is not a requirement of the role to have completed a previous apprenticeship.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Department of Education of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks.DFE@education.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Candidates will be posted in merit order based upon location preference. Where more than one location is advertised you will be asked to state your preferred location.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Department of Education via centralrecruitment.operations@education.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ 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.

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. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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.