Band 8A NHS Lead Service Designer
📍 Location: Fully Remote
💰 Rate: £300 per day (Inside IR35)
📅 Contract: 12 months initially, with strong potential to extend
We are currently seeking a skilled and experienced Lead Service Designer to support a high-impact NHS digital transformation programme. This is a Band 8A role suited for professionals who are confident in leading user-centred design in complex healthcare settings.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Lead the planning and delivery of complex service design activities across digital health projects.
2. Manage, coach and mentor junior researchers and designers, embedding best practice and user-centred methods across teams.
3. Shape end-to-end service design by conducting in-depth user research, mapping journeys and aligning digital services to user needs.
4. Champion inclusive and accessible design, ensuring engagement with diverse user groups.
5. Work with Agile multidisciplinary teams, influencing service improvements and ensuring quality across outputs.
6. Support delivery teams in understanding behavioural data and evidence to shape service improvements and strategic decisions.
7. Play an instrumental role in driving cultural change across the organisation through stakeholder engagement and user advocacy.
Essential Skills & Experience:
8. Proven experience as a Lead Service Designer or Senior User Researcher in digital environments.
9. Strong understanding of Agile, user-centred design and service transformation methods.
10. Hands-on experience with end-to-end user research and analysis, journey mapping, and service blueprinting.
11. Expertise in collaborating with cross-functional teams including product owners, developers, policy teams and delivery managers.
12. High-level stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with ability to simplify complex findings.
13. Strong documentation, facilitation and coaching skills.
14. Experience working in healthcare, public sector or similarly regulated environments.
Desirable:
15. NHS or healthcare digital programme experience.
16. Experience supporting implementation of GP service delivery tools or national digital health services.
17. Familiarity with CA-SPA, Email Connect, or Integration Hub platforms.
18. FEDIP Senior Practitioner or similar recognised UX/Research certification.
*Rates depend on experience and client requirements