Service Designer - Public Sector

Contract Service Designer (Public Sector / GDS Experience)

Location: UK (Remote / Hybrid options)

The Role

We’re seeking an experienced Contract Service Designer with strong UK public sector and GDS experience to help design end-to-end services that are simple, inclusive, and user-centred.

You’ll work within a multidisciplinary agile team, shaping services across discovery, alpha, beta, and live phases, and ensuring they meet the GDS Service Standard. This role suits someone comfortable navigating complex policy, operational, and legacy environments while keeping a clear focus on user needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and iterate end-to-end services that meet user and organisational needs
• Apply service design methods (e.g. journey mapping, service blueprints, ecosystem mapping) to complex public services
• Work closely with user researchers, content designers, product managers, developers, and policy teams
• Translate user insights, policy intent, and operational constraints into clear service designs
• Champion inclusive and accessible service design in line with GDS principles
• Support teams through GDS service assessments, providing clear evidence of user-centred design
• Communicate service design concepts and decisions clearly to senior stakeholders

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Service Designer in UK Government or GDS-aligned organisations
• Strong understanding of the GDS Service Standard and government design principles
• Experience working across the full service lifecycle (discovery to live)
• Confident applying service design tools and techniques in complex environments
• Experience working in agile, multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent stakeholder management and facilitation skills

Desirable

• Experience designing services that span multiple organisations or departments
• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive design practices
• Previous experience supporting or passing GDS service assessments