About the job
Job summary
Defence Digital ensures our Armed Forces remain among the most technologically advanced in the world. We do this by putting innovative and effective technology into the hands of over 200,000 users, from the boardroom to the front line.
We lead on cutting-edge data science, automation, and cyber security at scale. Our mission goes beyond the battlefield by leading humanitarian efforts and driving digital innovation that impacts lives across the globe.
Watch to find out more about what we do.
Passionate about using your skills to make a critical difference? Your next career move could be here
Job description
Are you passionate about designing services that truly meet user needs? Do you thrive in complex environments where your expertise can make a real difference? Join us as a Lead Service Designer and help transform Defence's digital landscape.
In this pivotal role, you'll bring Defence's Digital Strategy to life by championing user-centred design across high-impact programmes. You'll ensure that the products and services we deliver are not only aligned with strategic goals but are intuitive, accessible, and genuinely valuable to the people who use them — from service personnel to veterans and civilian teams.
What You'll Be Doing:
* Use your deep knowledge of Service Design and User-Centred Design (UCD) to guide teams in creating services that are shaped by real user needs and behaviours.
* Ensure that digital products and services reflect Defence's vision and meet Government Service Standards.
* Work with senior leaders, cross-functional teams, and wider Government and industry communities to promote a culture of design excellence.
* Ensure that design decisions are grounded in direct user insight — their tasks, motivations, environments, and challenges.
* Provide thought leadership and strategic input into business cases, governance forums, and product life-cycles, ensuring that design is a key driver of success.
* Coach delivery teams and external partners in UCD best practices, helping them embed user-centred thinking into every stage of development
.
You will be a champion for UCD actively promoting the adoption of its principles, tools, and techniques across teams and programmes. You'll play a key role in embedding Interaction and Content Design into delivery teams' ways of working, helping them create services that are intuitive, inclusive, and effective.
For further information on the role of a Lead Service Design, within a Government department, please refer to the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework: Service designer - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework
Person specification
We're seeking a visionary individual who's ready to make a real impact across Defence's Digital services. You'll be a driving force behind user-centred transformation, helping shape services that are intuitive, inclusive, and genuinely useful.
You'll thrive in complex, multi-stakeholder environments and bring a proven track record in applying UCD principles to deliver meaningful change. You'll be confident presenting insights and recommendations to senior leaders, and skilled at constructively challenging assumptions to ensure the best outcomes for users.
As a strategic advisor, you'll advocate for end-to-end Service Design, ensuring that every stage of the product and service life-cycle is shaped by user insight and aligned with Defence's Digital ambitions. You'll also influence the uptake of the Service Ownership model, helping to embed it into organisational structures and mindsets so that teams take full accountability for the user experience.
When submitting your CV, please highlight your career history and experience relevant to this role. Additionally, refer to the "Things You Need to Know" section and provide a personal statement (maximum 1,250 words) demonstrating how you meet the following
essential criteria:
* Experience of providing Service Design coherence, alignment and assurance across a complex delivery portfolio.
* Proven ability to translate concepts between Delivery Management, Service Management and business stakeholders so they are understood by all.
* Demonstrable experience of working within a senior role, in a Service Design function.
Please note only UK sole nationals are eligible to apply.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
To apply, please upload your CV in the relevant section on the Civil Service Jobs dashboard, ensuring it clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification. You must also submit a personal statement
(maximum 1,250 words
) providing evidence of how you meet these criteria.
Below is a link to a video offering helpful tips and guidance:
Watch: How to apply on CS Jobs: Guide and Tips
At interview, you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviours:
* Communicating and Influencing
* Seeing the Big Picture
Technical:
* Evidence Based Design
* Design Communication
* Designing Strategically
* Iterative Design
This post may be eligible for a Digital Skills Allowance of up to £15,300 per annum. Eligibility for this allowance will be assessed at interview against the 4 core technical skills only and reviewed annually in line with departmental policy.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name :DD Talent Acquisition Team
* Email :ukstratcomdd-hr-
Recruitment team
Email :DBSCivPers-