Senior Service Designer

Job summary

Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people's lives.

Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we're all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you're thinking of joining us, there's never been a more exciting time.

The Digital Process Improvement (DPI) team helps MHCLG improve how work gets done. We work with policy, operational and corporate teams to understand problems, redesign services and processes, and deliver practical solutions that reduce effort, improve quality and create better outcomes for colleagues and citizens.

As a Senior Service Designer in DPI, you will lead the design and improvement of services, processes and ways of working that address complex organisational challenges across MHCLG. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside product managers, business analysts, developers and Power Platform specialists, you will use evidence, user-centred design methods and stakeholder engagement to identify opportunities for improvement and shape practical, deliverable solutions.

You will help organisations move from understanding problems to implementing sustainable improvements, balancing user needs, operational realities and strategic priorities. The role offers the opportunity to work across a wide range of business areas, helping teams redesign services, improve processes and make better use of digital, automation and emerging technologies where appropriate.

Job description

As a Senior Service Designer in DPI you'll:

• Lead the discovery, design and improvement of services, processes and operating models across MHCLG, helping teams solve complex operational challenges.
• Work with policy, operational and digital colleagues to understand user needs, map existing services and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Use service design, process analysis and systems thinking techniques to simplify journeys, remove unnecessary complexity and improve outcomes for users and teams.
• Design end-to-end improvements that consider people, process, policy and technology, recognising that the most effective solutions are not always digital.
• Contribute to the delivery of digital process improvement initiatives, including new products, automation and AI-enabled services where appropriate.
• Build consensus across organisational boundaries, helping stakeholders navigate complexity, trade-offs and competing priorities.
• Communicate recommendations, risks, trade-offs and design decisions clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, including senior leaders.
• Support the development of service design capability within DPI and help embed good design practice across the department.
• Adapt approaches and priorities in response to changing organisational needs, delivery constraints and emerging opportunities.

About Digital Process Improvement

The Digital Process Improvement (DPI) team is a multidisciplinary team that helps MHCLG improve services, processes and ways of working.

We combine service design, product management, business analysis, low-code development and delivery expertise to solve complex organisational problems. Our work ranges from redesigning business processes and improving internal services to developing new digital products, automation and AI-enabled solutions.

We focus on delivering measurable improvements that save time, reduce risk, improve quality and create better experiences for users. We work collaboratively with teams across the department to understand root causes, test practical solutions and ensure improvements are sustainable over the long term.

Person specification

As a Senior Service Designer You'll have:

Designing Strategically

• Develop and apply design strategies that align with organisational priorities, considering risks, constraints, dependencies and opportunities.

Evidence-Based Design

• Gather, analyse and apply evidence from multiple sources, including user research, operational data, process insight and stakeholder feedback, to inform design decisions and service improvements.

Designing Together

• Facilitate collaboration, build consensus and work effectively across professions, disciplines and organisational boundaries.

Design Communication

• Communicate complex ideas clearly and confidently to a range of audiences, including senior stakeholders, using appropriate methods and artefacts.

Designing for Everyone

• Promote and apply inclusive, accessible and ethical design practices to ensure services work for all users.

Iterative Design

• Apply iterative design approaches, respond to feedback and evolving requirements, and support the development of minimum viable products and service improvements.

Working in Ambiguity

• Operate effectively in complex environments where requirements may be unclear, balancing user needs, organisational priorities and delivery constraints.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,092, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes

£16,829 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here .

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Application and Selection

The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Ability , Behaviours , Experience , Technical

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Important: Your CV and Cover Letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.

Stage 1: Sift (CV)

Experience: Your covering letter should be no more than 1 page referencing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description.

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

Stage 2: Interview

• Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Changing and Improving, Working Together, Seeing the Big Picture
• Ability:
• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview.

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 14th September 2026 with interview dates to follow.

Interviews currently being held remotely via videocall. This could be subject to change.

Group 1 Digital & Data Roles

MHCLG has implemented the Digital and Data capability framework for Group 1 roles. Applicants that are successful and have been offered a position will be required to complete a capability assessment after the interview.

MHCLG will honour completed capability assessments for this role from other Government Departments for existing civil servants on level transfer only. Please provide a copy of your capability assessment to the Hiring Manager when applying. If you have any queries on pay, please contact the Hiring Manager.

Each experience or technical skill is assessed between 1-3, representing working towards, at or above the job level requirements. You are awarded a proficiency level accordingly, and you will be given opportunity to annually re assess your capability and potentially increase your overall remuneration, through payment of allowances, depending on level of assessed capability.

Candidates moving from another government department have the option to retain their current basic pay if this is within our pay band for the relevant grade.

GRADE 7 Group 1 Digital and Data salary

• The basic pay for this role will be between £63,483 - £72,287 (London), £58,092 - £66,742 (National). Candidates will usually be recruited to the median of the payscale.
• A digital allowance may also be payable depending on the level of assessed capability, in order to meet the MHCLG overall targeted remuneration rate for the specific grade, location and capability rating.
• For applicants in receipt of existing allowances, we will assess each case individually, but we would seek not to exceed the MHCLG overall targeted remuneration rate for the specific grade, location and capability rating for existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply, subject to the statements above.

How We Recruit

Find out everything you need to know before applying here. .

• Applying
• Sifting
• Interview
• Interview Results & Feedback
• Reserve List
• Near Miss
• Civil Service Grades
• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer
• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

What you need to know before applying.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements
• Civil Service Nationality Requirements
• Right to Work
• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles
• CV Declaration
• Sponsorships
• Salary and Grade
• Existing Civil Servants
• Conflict of Interest
• Location and Flexible Working
• Fixed Term Contracts
• Internal Fraud Database
• Appeals and Complaints

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office: BPSS

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window)