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- Tasks: Join our team to tackle complex challenges in design and service innovation.
- Company: Connected Places Catapult drives change through design, human insights, and economics.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 9-day fortnight, competitive pension, and paid volunteering days.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on communities and the environment while collaborating with diverse experts.
- Qualifications: A background in design or equivalent experience is essential.
- Other info: Flexible office days and a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability.
The predicted salary is between 32850 - 47442 £ per year.
Location: London, Birmingham or Milton Keynes (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)
Reporting to: Head of Regional and Local Growth Design and Analysis
Working hours: Full time (9-day Fortnight companywide)
Contract type/duration: Permanent
Band: 2.1
Salary: £32,850 to £47,442
Closing date: 9am 17th June 2025
The Role: Within Connected Places Catapult, our Design and Analysis team leads the strategic application of design, human insights and economics to create demonstrable outcomes. We use research, analysis and design to shape how we interact with each other, the places we live in, and the innovative organisations that drive change through their products and services.
We are looking for a brilliant consultant Service Designer to join our team. You will bring design thinking, service design and real-world testing methods to some of today's most complex challenges in the built environment, cities, local economic growth and transport. You will have a strong design background and be able to apply service design principles to place-based challenges. You are committed to turning ideas into tangible outcomes that work for people and society. You are excited by experimentation, and by the opportunity to bring together design and technology in new and innovative ways.
You will have a keen interest in emerging technologies, along with hands-on experience in applying service design through prototyping, testing and the development of new approaches. You will work on a wide range of projects alongside engineers, data scientists, urban planners, analysts and user researchers.
Your work will be varied and dynamic. One day you might support a local authority in designing new approaches to market engagement using testbeds and living labs. The next, you could be facilitating ideation workshops on the underpinning service design for carbon accounting, or developing innovative ways to run competitions that help grow new SMEs.
If you are ready to use your design skills to make a meaningful impact on people, places and the planet, we would love to hear from you.
- Service design: Apply service design tools in multiple projects and translate (design) research into insights, design opportunities and eventually ideas and concepts.
- Design Research: Being able to independently perform qualitative design research, applying design ethnography using methods such as contextual interviews, observation, card sorting etc.
- Design of live trial environments: Creating methodologies and processes to determine how a variety of different solutions can be tested in the real world.
- Workshop design: Planning, design and delivery of different types of workshops that involve a variety of stakeholders within our established program of projects.
- Stakeholder management: Working closely with team members to ensure relationships with all project partners are managed successfully.
Responsibilities:
- Support revenue targets
- Spot opportunities
- Contribute to bids and proposals
- Support client confidence in and building credibility of CPC
- Ensure CRM system is updated with stakeholder contact and any other account information
- Support scoping and delivery of streams of work
- Deliver plans as designed
- Implement effective project management process
- Organise your own contribution to the work stream
- Collaborate effectively across the work streams/project team
- Provide excellence in delivery
- Meet (or exceed) utilisation targets
- Promote innovative and professional delivery focus across project team
- Support buy in across a range of stakeholders through professional and technical expertise
- Accountable for timely and high-quality actions/tasks and updates
- Update CRM system with contact of client information
- Maintain own professional development
- Ensure an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities
- You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations
Requirements:
- Identify new methodologies or approaches
- Identify solutions beyond the tried and tested methods
- Collaborate effectively across teams and disciplines
- Influence effectively in projects and tasks
- Customer perspective is understood and applied
- Uses multi-channel communication to ensure clarity and connection on activities
- Able to plan and deliver on multiple activities
- Respond to and learns from change with ease
- Embed inclusive and sustainability practices in planning and delivery
Benefits:
- 9 day fortnight for everyone, we have a full company shutdown every other Friday
- 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off
- Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future
- Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members
- Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute
- Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being
- Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations
- Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities
- Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates - provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion
Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.
Consultant (Service Designer) employer: Connected Places Catapult
Contact Detail:
Connected Places Catapult Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Consultant (Service Designer)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in service design and human-centred design. Being able to discuss current methodologies and how they can be applied to real-world challenges will show your passion and expertise during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the field of service design, especially those who work in urban planning or local economic growth. Attend relevant workshops or webinars to connect with potential colleagues and learn about their experiences.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to showcase your hands-on experience with prototyping and testing methods. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you applied these techniques, as this will demonstrate your practical skills and problem-solving abilities.
✨Tip Number 4
Understand the importance of collaboration in service design. Be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully worked with diverse teams and stakeholders, as this role requires effective communication and teamwork across various disciplines.
We think you need these skills to ace Consultant (Service Designer)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in service design and design thinking. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to apply these principles to real-world challenges, particularly in the built environment and local economic growth.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for service design and how it can impact society. Mention specific projects or experiences that align with the role's responsibilities, such as facilitating workshops or conducting design research.
Showcase Your Design Skills: Include a portfolio or examples of your work that illustrate your design process, from ideation to prototyping. Highlight any methodologies you've developed for testing solutions in live environments, as this is crucial for the role.
Demonstrate Stakeholder Management: Provide examples of how you've successfully managed relationships with various stakeholders in past projects. This could include collaboration with team members or clients, showcasing your ability to communicate effectively and build credibility.
How to prepare for a job interview at Connected Places Catapult
✨Showcase Your Design Thinking Skills
Be prepared to discuss your design thinking process in detail. Share specific examples of how you've applied service design principles to real-world challenges, particularly in the built environment or local economic growth.
✨Demonstrate Your Research Experience
Highlight your experience with qualitative design research methods. Be ready to explain how you've used techniques like contextual interviews and observation to gather insights that inform your design decisions.
✨Prepare for Workshop Scenarios
Since workshop design is a key part of the role, think about how you would plan and facilitate workshops with diverse stakeholders. Consider discussing past experiences where you successfully engaged participants and drove outcomes.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Stakeholder Management
Illustrate your ability to work effectively across teams and manage stakeholder relationships. Prepare examples that demonstrate how you've influenced project outcomes through collaboration and communication.
