Senior Service Designer

Please note: Applicants must be based in the UK and have the right to work in the UK.

About us

We are Livework, a leading Service Design studio with offices in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, North America and Brazil. Our mission is to improve the way people live and work. We are here to be of service to people, society and organisations as they navigate the complex challenges of our times. In our work, we employ the transformational power of Service Design to address major challenges that organisations face: Service Innovation, Customer Centricity, Connected Health, and Humanising Government.

Role summary

Lead the delivery of complex client projects, overseeing planning and execution of all service design activities and deliverables. Manage day-to-day running of large projects and multiple work streams, including effective delegation, client relationship building, and team mentorship. Contribute to the overall success of our clients, our people and our business through account development, strategic planning, and internal improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex customer research projects; design and implement advanced research methodologies; lead workshops with senior stakeholders; develop and implement sophisticated synthesis activities.
• Drive the creation of innovative service concepts, journeys, and blueprints; lead the development and testing of prototypes; create and deliver high-impact presentations to senior client stakeholders.
• Lead the development of proposals for new business opportunities and represent the Livework brand at industry events and conferences.
• Drive strategic internal improvement initiatives, leading teams to enhance our methods, tools, and approaches.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior client stakeholders, acting as a trusted advisor and strategic partner.
• Oversee project delivery, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
• Mentor and guide designers, fostering a culture of learning and development within the team.
• Continuously develop advanced skills and knowledge in service design, strategy, consulting, and relevant industry domains.
• Identify opportunities to improve Livework methods, tools, approaches, policies, and procedures, leading implementation of improvements.

Skills, Knowledge and Experiences

Significant relevant professional experience, including demonstrated experience leading complex service design projects. Demonstrated expertise in the following:

• Ability to lead and manage diverse teams, fostering collaboration and driving synergy towards a common goal.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and influence senior stakeholders.
• Advanced visual communication and prototyping skills, with expertise in a wide range of tools and techniques.
• Proficiency in various software packages, including Google platform, Miro, Figma, and the Adobe suite.
• Highly developed analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to navigate complex challenges and ambiguity.
• Exceptional facilitation skills, with experience leading workshops and presentations with senior executives.
• Expertise in applying all core aspects of Service Design to complex client challenges, leading others in the application of methods.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects efficiently, delivering high-quality outcomes on time and within budget.
• Advanced capabilities in core consulting domains including commercial awareness, strategic thinking, and problem solving.
• Expertise in journey mapping and journey management, preferably using industry standard tools.

Demonstrated Behaviours

• Respectful, learning and sharing: Promote a culture of respect and continuous learning, mentoring team members and sharing knowledge openly.
• Service minded and design results driven: Drive projects towards impactful outcomes for clients and their customers, emphasizing the value of service design.
• Humble, bold, empathetic and inclusive: Lead with confidence while remaining humble, empathetic, and inclusive, valuing diverse perspectives.
• Optimistic, committed with live/work balance: Maintain a positive and optimistic approach, while ensuring a healthy live/work balance for oneself and the team.

Benefits overview

• Hybrid working: Liveworkers typically work in the studio once per week on average.
• Remote working abroad: Employees can apply for a maximum of 6 weeks per year. Approval depends on the ability to plan project work and responsibilities.
• Flexible working hours: Employees can organize their working pattern to allow for a better work/life balance (within reason).
• Pension: Livework contributes 5% of the basic salary and the employee contributes 5% of their basic salary via Salary Sacrifice. Employees can increase their contributions and receive matching employer contributions up to 7% of basic pay.
• Learning & development: Employees are allocated 5 training/professional development days and can access up to £1,000 per year to fund training expenses per calendar year.
• Macbook and iPhone: Employees can use your Livework mobile phone for personal purposes, provided that the contract usage terms are not exceeded.
• Purchasing additional holidays: Liveworkers can buy additional holiday entitlement up to 5 days.
• Occupational Sick Pay: employees have max. 13 weeks of sick leave in a 12-month rolling period at full pay. This means that Livework will top up any SSP with OSP to a total of your full salary.
• Unpaid leave and sabbaticals: Employees can apply for special unpaid leave up to 2 months and sabbaticals of 2 months or longer
• Enhanced maternity leave: Livework pays employees 100% of their salary, which is a combination of SMP and Livework Enhanced Pay, and benefits for 13 weeks. Following this time, employees will receive SMP only for up to a maximum of 26 weeks if they continue to take maternity leave. In order to qualify for the enhanced pay you must be employed for more than one year's continuous service by 15 weeks before the due date.

How to apply

Applicants must be based in the UK and have the right to work in the UK.

Excited about this role? Please send us your CV, portfolio, and cover letter, via the Breezy platform. If your portfolio is in PDF format, please merge it into 1 PDF with your CV. If you have an online portfolio, please add a link to your CV or cover letter.

In your cover letter, please explain to us your approach to leading complex service design projects. What do you see as the key challenges and how do you address them?

The deadline for applications is 20 July 2025, but please don't hesitate to apply. We will be reviewing candidates as they come in.

Questions about this vacancy? Please get in touch with us via Breezy.