Lead Service Designer

We are hiring a Lead Service Designer to join our team, which also includes Researchers, UX Designers and UI Designers. In this role, you will work with all departments including Editorial, Marketing, Commercial, Product and Engineering. Your role will include the practical application of design thinking and service design.

Through the discovery of new products and improvements to existing ones, you will champion user-centred design, help us define a clear framework for service design and bring stakeholders with us on the journey.

Diversity in design means diversity of experience, perspective and creativity. That’s why the Guardian actively encourages applications from BAME or other traditionally underrepresented groups in the UK media.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for Service Design at the Guardian.
• Working alongside other Practice Leads to progress and grow the Product Design team.
• Lead proposition development at all stages of its lifecycle, from discovery through to service optimisation and be able to clearly communicate its value to others.
• Planning, rationale and creation of a clear framework for service design that identifies the needs of our readers and the Guardian. At all times, you are able to bring stakeholders on this journey.
• Be confident in leading teams through a new service design framework that includes challenging assumptions, insights, reader value propositions, business modelling, defining hypotheses, service blueprinting and running experiments to learn at pace.
• Champion human-centred design and service design both internally and externally.
• You will be recognised as a trusted partner and collaborate with key stakeholders to inspire quality propositions and generate value for the Guardian.
• The ideal candidate should be an effective, consistent, and conscientious communicator. Able to deliver compelling presentations to stakeholders and the wider business.
• You are able to drive positive impact by setting clear, measurable objectives.
• You’ll also have a demonstrable ability to bring a diverse perspective to the role, bringing new and fresh ways for teams and individuals to work together.

Skills and experience

(No one is the finished article and there should be learning in every role you do. However, some experience in the following is important)

• Several years of experience as a Service Designer, able to lead the design work for new products and services and enable improvements to existing ones.
• A strong portfolio of work demonstrating your principles, framework and methodologies.
• Be able to engage in proactive, analytical and collaborative problem-solving.
• Be confident in facilitating working sessions with senior technical, business and editorial stakeholders and managing trade-off discussions.
• Be able to explain creative decisions and welcome constructive feedback.
• A keen interest in journalism
• An in-depth understanding of our existing product set and the key markets we operate in.
• A strong understanding of user research methodologies.
• Experience in Agile and Lean methodologies
• A clear communicator, able to influence creative decisions while welcoming collaboration.
• A drive for innovation and knowledge and interest in new technology trends.