At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead user-centred design for complex digital services in the pensions domain.
- Company: Join TCS Interactive, a leader in digital customer experience with a human-first approach.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, mentorship opportunities, and a dynamic work environment.
- Other info: Collaborate with diverse teams and influence strategic decisions at the highest level.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on public services and improve user experiences in pensions.
- Qualifications: Significant GDS leadership experience and strong knowledge of pensions products.
The predicted salary is between 68205 - 68205 £ per year.
We are seeking a strategic and experienced Design Director (UX, Research & Service Design) to lead end-to-end user-centred design across complex digital services. This role spans UX design, UX research, and service design, with a strong focus on GDS (Government Digital Service) standards and the pensions domain. You should have demonstrable experience delivering user-centred services within Government, including leading research across GDS lifecycle phases, contributing to successful service assessments, and shaping end-to-end services on GOV.UK in collaboration with policy, service design, and delivery teams.
You will play a hands-on leadership role, guiding multidisciplinary teams, embedding best practice research methodologies, and ensuring compliance with GDS service standards while navigating the unique challenges of pensions products and services.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership & Strategy
- Act as a senior design authority, influencing stakeholders at executive and programme levels.
- Build, mentor, and lead high-performing design teams, promoting a culture of continuous learning and excellence.
- Close collaboration with service designers and operational teams.
- Champion user-centred design (UCD) across the organisation.
- Experience preparing for and leading GDS service assessments.
- Understanding of service standard expectations at each phase.
- UX & Delivery
- Oversee end-to-end design activities across the GDS service lifecycle (Discovery, Alpha, Beta, Live).
- Experience shaping end-to-end service journeys across channels (digital, assisted, offline).
- Establish scalable research frameworks, methodologies, and standards aligned with GDS service standards and accessibility requirements.
- Lead complex research initiatives across pensions systems, including policy-driven services, customer journeys, and operational processes.
- Track record of research directly influencing service design, policy decisions, or funding approvals.
- Close collaboration with service designers and operational teams.
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Collaborate with senior stakeholders, product owners, policy teams, and engineering leaders to ensure alignment between user needs, business objectives, and regulatory requirements.
- Communicate research findings through compelling storytelling, influencing decision-making at all levels.
- Work closely with government bodies or regulated environments to ensure compliance and alignment with public sector expectations.
- Domain Expertise – Pensions
- Apply deep understanding of the pensions landscape (e.g., retirement journeys, contributions, pension schemes, regulatory requirements).
- Conduct research with diverse user groups, including vulnerable or less digitally confident populations.
- Address challenges around complex policy, financial literacy, and accessibility within pensions services.
- Experience designing for assisted digital journeys and non-digital users.
- Understanding of inclusion, accessibility, and support channels in public services.
- Governance & Standards
- Ensure all outputs adhere to GDS Design Principles, Service Standard, and WCAG accessibility guidelines.
- Drive governance and quality assurance across design and research outputs.
- Support service assessments and audits within GDS frameworks.
Skills & Experience
- Essential
- Significant experience in GDS interactive leadership, ideally at Director or Head level.
- Demonstrable experience delivering services that have passed GDS Service Assessments (Discovery, Alpha, Beta, Live).
- Experience preparing for and leading GDS service assessments.
- Understanding of service standard expectations at each phase.
- Experience working on transactional services published on GOV.UK.
- Familiarity with GOV.UK design system and patterns in real delivery contexts.
- Experience working across multiple departments or shared platforms (e.g. Notify, Pay, One Login).
- Deep expertise across the full research lifecycle, including qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Strong knowledge of pensions products/services and associated regulatory frameworks.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary teams (design, product, engineering, policy, content) aligned to GDS ways of working.
- Ability to influence at senior leadership level and drive strategic decisions.
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills.
- Desirable
- Experience working with UK Government departments or regulated industries.
- Knowledge of service design, content design, and interaction design.
- Familiarity with data analytics and behavioural insights.
- Experience in accessibility and inclusive design practices.
Key Competencies
- Strategic Thinking
- Leadership & Mentorship
- Stakeholder Influence
- User Advocacy
- Analytical & Insight-Driven Decision Making
- Collaboration & Communication interaction
What Success Looks Like
- User-centred design is embedded across all services.
- Research insights directly influence product and policy decisions.
- Services successfully meet GDS assessments and standards.
- Improved user outcomes across pensions journeys, including accessibility and trust.
- High-performing, engaged design and UCD teams.
About Us
TCS Interactive is a world leader in the digital customer experience space. With a human-first approach, we apply design, engineering, business strategy and subject matter expertise to deliver award-winning iconic design and digital experiences for our customers. We pride ourselves in our ability to influence products at the highest level by delivering strategic ideas from inception to launch. By helping clients understand the context of their products, we create compelling visions for them and then make these experiences a reality. Success in our work comes from the diversity of perspectives, skills, and backgrounds of our talented team.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Director GDS in London
✨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 Tata Consultancy Services for a Design Director GDS, 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 Tata Consultancy Services before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace Design Director GDS in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Design Director GDS at Tata Consultancy Services, 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 Tata Consultancy Services 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 Tata Consultancy Services. 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 Tata Consultancy Services.
How to prepare for a job interview at Tata Consultancy Services
✨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 Tata Consultancy Services, 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. Tata Consultancy Services 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 Tata Consultancy Services!
✨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 Tata Consultancy Services is looking for.
