At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead user research and design inclusive services that truly work for people.
- Company: Cognizant, a global organisation focused on meaningful transformation.
- Benefits: Collaborative culture, career development, and investment in learning.
- Other info: Opportunity to mentor others and contribute to a high-quality design culture.
- Why this job: Shape impactful services while developing your skills in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Strong Service Design experience and a compelling portfolio required.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 66000 £ per year.
If you are a Service Designer who enjoys untangling complex problems and turning insight into services that genuinely work better for people, this is a role worth exploring.
At Cognizant, you will help shape meaningful transformation across public and private sector organisations.
Working with users, senior stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams, you will connect research, strategy, operations and technology to create inclusive, end-to-end services across digital and non-digital channels.
You will have the space to bring ideas, challenge assumptions and see your thinking move from discovery into delivery—while developing your career within a collaborative global organisation that invests in learning, design capability and progression.
What you’ll be doing
- Plan and lead user research with internal and external users, turning evidence into clear needs, insights and design opportunities.
- Facilitate co-creation workshops that bring stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams together around practical, user-centred solutions.
- Create customer journey maps, service blueprints, service visions and other design artefacts that make complexity visible and actionable.
- Design end-to-end experiences that connect front-stage user journeys with the people, processes, policy and technology behind them.
- Use qualitative research, data and feedback to test assumptions, refine concepts and improve services over time.
- Work across agile discovery and delivery with researchers, product teams, content designers, business analysts, engineers and delivery colleagues.
- Communicate design decisions through clear storytelling, helping clients understand trade-offs and align around a shared direction.
- Champion accessibility, inclusive design and customer-centred design principles throughout the service lifecycle.
- Support and mentor less experienced designers, contributing to a visible, collaborative and high-quality design culture.
What you’ll bring
- Strong Service Design experience gained in a consultancy, agency or client-side environment.
- A compelling portfolio showing your approach, design thinking and impact across end-to-end digital and non-digital services.
- Confidence planning and conducting user research, usability testing and stakeholder engagement.
- Practical expertise in journey mapping, service blueprinting, empathy mapping, systems thinking and workshop facilitation.
- The ability to translate research, business needs and data into strategic recommendations and deliverable service improvements.
- Experience working in agile teams, including familiarity with user stories, backlogs and acceptance criteria.
- Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the confidence to influence stakeholders at different levels.
- A sound understanding of accessibility and usability standards, including WCAG, and inclusive design practice.
- Experience using relevant collaboration and design tools such as Figma, Miro, Sketch, Adobe XD, Axure or equivalent.
- An independent, adaptable and pragmatic working style, balanced with a collaborative and people-centred approach.
These will help you stand out
- Knowledge of Government Digital Service standards, GOV. UK design patterns or the GOV. UK Design System.
- Experience supporting or participating in GDS service assessments.
- Experience leading a design workstream, mentoring others or strengthening design practice within a team.
- Prototyping experience and the ability to use early concepts to learn quickly and build alignment.
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Lead Service Designer in City of Westminster employer: Cognizant
Cognizant is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration within the UK Public Sector. Employees benefit from comprehensive growth opportunities, including training in cutting-edge AI technologies, while contributing to meaningful projects that impact government services. With a commitment to quality and excellence, Cognizant provides a supportive environment where your contributions are valued and recognised.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Service Designer in City of Westminster
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
In the world of UX/UI design, your portfolio speaks volumes! Make sure it's packed with your best work and showcases your process, not just the final product. We want to see how you tackle design challenges, so consider adding case studies that reflect your thought process and user-centric approach.
✨Get Involved in Design Communities
Jump into local or online design meetups and workshops! Places like UXPA or local design events can be goldmines for networking and learning. Plus, mingling with fellow designers can introduce you to potential job openings that might not be listed elsewhere.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you find a role that excites you, like the one at Cognizant for a Lead Service Designer, make your application count! Highlight specific projects and skills that directly relate to the job description. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who fit into their specific team, so show them you’re the one!
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in finding a UX/UI design job! Follow design leaders on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, share your work, and engage in conversations. It’s a great way to get noticed by recruiters and even catch wind of openings at companies like Cognizant before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Service Designer in City of Westminster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Lead Service Designer at Cognizant, make sure to include examples that clearly highlight your design process. We want to see not just the final product but also the journey that led you there—wireframes, user personas, and iterations demonstrate your thought process and user-centric approach!
Tailor Your Portfolio:A tailor-made portfolio is crucial for a full-time design role! Curate your best projects that align with the kind of work Cognizant does. We suggest including 3-5 case studies that showcase a variety of skills such as wireframing, prototyping, and user testing to really make your application pop.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not just be a summary of your CV. Use it to express why you’re excited about UX/UI Design and what draws you specifically to Cognizant. Mention any relevant experience, tools you’re proficient in (like Sketch or Figma), and how you can contribute to their projects.
Highlight Collaboration Skills:In the world of UX/UI Design, teamwork is crucial. Make sure to highlight any past experiences where you worked in cross-functional teams. Illustrate how you communicated design decisions and listened to feedback, as this will resonate well with the culture at Cognizant.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cognizant
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
When you're gunning for a full-time UX/UI design role, your portfolio is your best friend! Make sure you've got a solid selection of your work, showcasing not just the final designs, but the process behind them—think wireframes, user flows, and any user research you've conducted. During the interview with Cognizant, be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they solve specific user problems.
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Expect to face some practical design tasks during your interview. Cognizant might ask you to tackle a quick design challenge or critique an existing interface. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and try to articulate your thought process as you work through these scenarios. Showing how you approach a design problem is just as important as the final output!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with the tools commonly used in the industry—figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch should be second nature to you. Be ready to discuss your preferred tools during the interview and how they've shaped your design process at previous positions. This knowledge could give you an edge at Cognizant!
✨Show Passion for User Experience
In a full-time UX/UI design role, having a genuine passion for improving user interactions can set you apart. Be prepared to share instances when you went above and beyond to ensure a great user experience in your previous projects. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a designer, but a user advocate, which is exactly what Cognizant is looking for.
