Senior Service Designer

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Job description

Full Time, Fixed Term for 12 months.

We're looking for a Senior Service Designer to help shape how Bristol City Council delivers public services in a digital-first environment. This is the first service design role within our team, and you'll play a key part in establishing how we work, both internally and with residents.

You'll lead on designing services that are inclusive, efficient, and based on real user needs. Our initial approach is to deliver a Minimum Viable Service; introducing stakeholders to the value of a user-centred, iterative design process that supports better outcomes for everyone.

What you'll be doing

• Leading service design projects that improve the experience of residents and staff.
• Applying service design methods to understand problems, identify opportunities, and co‑create solutions.
• Establishing the frameworks, tools, and standards that enable consistent service design across the council.
• Embedding service design into the wider transformation agenda.
• Working closely with content designers, user researchers, product managers, and developers.
• Engaging stakeholders and helping them understand complex problems through visual and narrative storytelling.
• Prototyping and testing ideas to ensure services meet user needs and organisational goals.

What we're looking for

• A confident and experienced service designer, ideally with experience in the public sector.
• Strong understanding of user-centred design and inclusive design principles.
• Ability to lead and influence stakeholders, and to communicate complex ideas clearly.
• Experience in setting up new ways of working, including tools, standards, and design practices.
• Skilled in design research, journey mapping, prototyping, and iterative development.
• Comfortable working in multidisciplinary teams and navigating ambiguity.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a new function within a growing digital team. You'll be part of a supportive environment where your work will have a real impact on how services are delivered to the people of Bristol.

Why Bristol City Council?

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high-profile organisation. For the majority of our roles hybrid working arrangements are available, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice - mixing both home and office working.

Join us and you'll receive an excellent rewards package including flexible working and flexitime, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you'll be working in a supportive environment where you'll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

How do I apply?

If you share our values and are ready to be part of our exciting journey please select the apply button below.

To be shortlisted for interview you'll need to demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Person Specification within the Further Information section of your application. On occasion we will receive high numbers of applications, we may then shortlist against the desirable criteria along with the essential criteria, so if you can, please demonstrate how you meet this in your application.

Additional Information

For permanent Bristol City Council employees, this post will be a secondment.

For employees who are currently on a fixed term contract with Bristol City Council, the secondment must not extend beyond the end of the fixed term period to ensure there is a substantive post to return to.

For employees who are currently a casual worker or a member of an employment agency (currently working with Bristol City Council) this post will be a fixed term contract.

We are a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.

For further information, please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification or alternatively, please contact Timea Wilson timea.wilson@bristol.gov.uk.

Bristol City Council strives to have a workforce that reflects the communities it serves, we are therefore committed to ensuring diversity in our hiring process. We welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. Appointments will be made on merit.

The personal information section (including your name) you'll complete as part of the application form will not be visible to hiring managers, but is used confidentially to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.