Service Designer

Senior Service Designer Jobs at Government Digital Service – 4 Vacancies

Government Digital Service (GDS) is recruiting 4 Senior Service Designers for permanent Grade 7 positions in Bristol and Manchester, with salaries of up to £70,950.

This is an opportunity for experienced service designers to work on major UK government digital services, including GOV.UK, publishing services, the GOV.UK Design System and the GOV.UK App.

Important: This campaign does not offer visa sponsorship.

Job Summary

The Government Digital Service is the digital centre of government, responsible for helping deliver a modern, user-centred and digitally enabled government.

As a Senior Service Designer, you will work within multidisciplinary teams alongside researchers, developers, content designers and other digital professionals.

You will help design and improve public services at scale, making them simpler, faster, more efficient, accessible and easier for people across the UK to use.

Job Details

Where Are the Roles Based?

The vacancies are divided across different programmes:

GOV.UK and Publishing – Bristol or Manchester

Two positions will join the GOV.UK and Publishing programme.

One role will work with content designers to improve the content publishing process.

The other will work with the GOV.UK Design System team to explore how government services can adapt to an increasingly multichannel future.

Product and Services – Manchester

Two positions will join the Product and Services programme and work in the context of the GOV.UK App.

These Product and Services positions are exclusively based in Manchester.

What You Will Do

As a Senior Service Designer, your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and coordinating design work within your team.
• Supporting and guiding other designers where appropriate.
• Working effectively within multidisciplinary and agile teams.
• Adapting design approaches when requirements, priorities or user needs change.
• Using research and analytics to understand user needs.
• Identifying service failures and opportunities for improvement.
• Testing and iterating different service designs.
• Designing collaboratively and openly with colleagues.
• Facilitating design activities across multidisciplinary teams.
• Championing accessibility, inclusion and equitable service design.
• Considering the impact of emerging technologies.
• Ensuring designs meet relevant legal and accessibility requirements.
• Collaborating with designers across government departments.
• Reviewing design work and contributing to shared design patterns.
• Supporting the development of high-quality government digital services.

Who Should Apply?

GDS is looking for experienced service designers who can demonstrate strong experience in complex environments and the ability to influence design decisions at a senior level.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate experience in:

• Designing services and holistic solutions for users in complex environments.
• Working with and negotiating important design decisions with senior stakeholders.
• Facilitating workshops, co-design activities and other collaborative sessions.
• Engaging people through different methods, including documentation.
• Using qualitative user research and quantitative data to make effective decisions.
• Designing inclusive, equitable, accessible and sustainable services.
• Working in agile, multidisciplinary and collaborative environments.
• Guiding, supporting and mentoring other people.

Key Skills

The role is assessed against the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework for Senior Service Designers.

The required capabilities include:

• Design communication
• Designing for everyone
• Designing strategically
• Designing together
• Evidence-based design
• Iterative design
• Leading design

Civil Service Behaviours

Candidates will also be assessed against the following Civil Service behaviours:

• Seeing the big picture
• Changing and improving
• Communicating and influencing
• Working together
• Leadership
• Making effective decisions

Salary

The advertised salary is:

£56,850 – £70,950 per year

The role information states that salaries of £59,300 to £70,950 are based on capability, while the national base salary for the grade is £56,850.

Offers above the base salary may include a specialist pay allowance.

Working Arrangements

The role offers a range of working patterns, including:

• Full-time
• Part-time
• Job share
• Compressed hours
• Flexible working

GDS operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, combining time at the workplace with working from home in the UK.

The current expectation is for staff to attend the office or another non-home-based location for approximately 40–60% of the time over the accounting period.

The department does not normally offer fully home-based working.

Benefits

Successful candidates can access a wide range of Civil Service and GDS benefits, including:

• Flexible hybrid working.
• Flexi-time.
• Part-time and condensed-hours options.
• Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by one day each year up to 30 days.
• An additional day off for the King’s birthday.
• In-year bonus scheme.
• Career progression opportunities.
• Coaching and professional development.
• Training budget.
• Employee assistance and wellbeing support.
• Season-ticket advances.
• Death-in-service benefits.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Employee discounts.
• 10 learning days per year.
• Volunteering opportunities.
• Up to 5 special leave days for volunteering.
• Access to Civil Service Learning activities.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit all three of the following:

1. Cover Letter

A cover letter of no more than 500 words explaining:

• Who you are.
• Why you are suitable for the role.
• How your experience matches the person specification.

2. CV

Your CV should demonstrate your relevant professional experience and work history.

3. Portfolio

You must provide a portfolio demonstrating examples of your service design work.

If your portfolio is available online, you can include the URL in your CV or cover letter.

Alternatively, you can email your portfolio as a PDF to:

GDSrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Your application number should be included, and you should provide the password if your portfolio is password protected.

Recruitment Process

The standard GDS selection process includes:

Stage 1 – Initial Application Sift

Applications will initially be assessed against the required criteria.

If there is a high volume of applications, the initial sift will focus on the lead criterion:

Experience in facilitating and engaging with people in a variety of ways, such as workshops, co-design activities or documentation.

Stage 2 – Screening Call

Successful candidates may be invited to a 20-minute screening call.

A short task will be provided approximately 40 minutes before the call.

Candidates should therefore expect the task and screening process to require approximately 60 minutes of their time on the day.

Stage 3 – Final Interview

Successful candidates will proceed to a 60-minute remote interview.

Candidates will be expected to discuss one or two pieces of work from their portfolio and answer behavioural questions.

Depending on application numbers, an additional stage may be introduced, such as a telephone interview or technical exercise.

Recruitment Timeline

The advertised recruitment timetable is:

• Sift completion: 1 September 2026
• Phone screening: Week commencing 8 September 2026
• Panel interviews: Week commencing 14 September 2026

Candidates who do not pass the interview but demonstrate an acceptable standard may potentially be considered for similar positions at a lower grade.

A reserve list will also be maintained for 12 months, from which additional appointments may be made.

Careers Event

GDS plans to hold a careers event for people considering applying for interaction or service design roles.

Date: Tuesday 18 August 2026
Time: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

The event will explain more about the roles and the application and interview process.

To attend, email:

GDSrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

The team will provide a video-call link.

Security Clearance

This role requires Security Check (SC) clearance.

The vacancy states that this would normally require approximately 5 years of UK residency during the previous 5 years.

However, this is not described as an absolute requirement. Additional checks may be necessary for candidates who have not lived in the UK for that period.

Insufficient UK residency may make the clearance process longer and, in some circumstances, could prevent clearance from being granted.

Candidates should therefore carefully consider the residency and security requirements before applying.

Successful candidates must also undergo the relevant criminal record and personnel security checks.

Visa Sponsorship

Important for international applicants:

DSIT cannot offer visa sponsorship through this recruitment campaign.

Although DSIT holds a visa sponsorship licence, the department states that this particular campaign does not qualify for sponsorship.

Therefore, applicants requiring new UK visa sponsorship should not assume that sponsorship will be available for this vacancy.

Nationality Requirements

The role is broadly open to:

• UK nationals.
• Republic of Ireland nationals.
• Commonwealth nationals who have the right to work in the UK.
• Eligible EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals and qualifying family members with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
• Certain individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who met the relevant EUSS eligibility requirements.
• Turkish nationals and certain family members who have acquired the right to work in the Civil Service.

Applicants should check the official nationality requirements before submitting an application.

Artificial Intelligence and Applications

GDS states that artificial intelligence tools can be used to support an application, but all examples and statements submitted must be:

• Truthful.
• Factually accurate.
• Based on the applicant’s own experience.

Applications may be withdrawn where plagiarism is identified, including presenting other people’s ideas or experiences as your own.

Who Is This Job Suitable For?

This vacancy may be particularly relevant to experienced:

• Service Designers
• Senior Service Designers
• Digital Designers
• UX Designers with strong service design experience
• Design Leads
• Government digital professionals
• User-centred design professionals
• Digital transformation professionals
• Design practitioners working in complex environments

Candidates should be comfortable working with senior stakeholders, multidisciplinary teams, research, analytics, agile delivery and large-scale digital services.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is a senior-level digital role with the opportunity to work on services used by people across the UK.

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to contribute to major government digital programmes and work alongside experienced designers, researchers, developers and other digital professionals.

The role also offers a combination of senior-level responsibility, professional development, flexible working options and Civil Service benefits.

Important Information Before Applying

Before applying, make sure you:

1. Meet the Senior Service Designer experience requirements.
2. Check the location requirements for your preferred role.
3. Understand that the GOV.UK App positions are Manchester-based.
4. Prepare a CV tailored to service design.
5. Prepare a maximum 500-word cover letter.
6. Prepare a strong service design portfolio.
7. Review the required Civil Service behaviours.
8. Review the Government Digital and Data capability requirements.
9. Consider the SC security-clearance requirements.
10. Confirm that you already have the right to work in the UK because this campaign does not offer visa sponsorship.
11. Submit all three required application components before the deadline.

Closing Date

Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 11:55 pm

Late applications may not be considered, so candidates should submit their applications before the closing time.

How to Apply

Full details + Apply:
https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=2009054

Applicants should use the official Civil Service Jobs listing to review the complete vacancy information and submit their application.

Contact

Government Digital Service Recruitment Team

Email: GDSrecruitment@dsit.gov.uk

Vacancy Snapshot

Job: Senior Service Designer
Employer: Government Digital Service
Vacancies: 4
Grade: Grade 7
Salary: £56,850 – £70,950
Locations: Bristol and Manchester
Contract: Permanent
Working: Full-time, part-time, job share, compressed hours and flexible working
Closing date: 25 August 2026
Application: CV + 500-word cover letter + portfolio
Security: SC clearance required
Visa sponsorship: Not available
Reference: 476010

Final Reminder

This is a senior digital design opportunity with 4 permanent vacancies, but applicants should pay particular attention to the location, security clearance and visa requirements.

Most importantly, DSIT has confirmed that visa sponsorship is not available for this campaign.

Deadline: 25 August 2026 at 11:55 pm.