Senior Service Designer

Job summary

Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time. We are looking for multiple Senior Service Designers to join our Digital teams including Private Rented Sector (PRS), Local AI and Digital Process Improvements.

The Private Rented Sector team are working on a crucial set of reforms to help improve the private rented sector, as the lowest quality, least secure and least affordable of all tenures. As the Senior Service Designer, you will be responsible for the design of the end-to-end Private Rented Sector Database. This includes services to register landlords and letting agents, for tenants to view information about landlords, for local authorities to access the database, and administration interfaces. You will be working closely with policy, operations and other services to create and iterate digital services and offline channels. The service will launch later this year, so you need to be confident delivering at pace.

The Local AI team (previously AI for Local Government) is an ambitious and friendly new team dedicated to accelerating the responsible use of AI across local government. Our mission is to help councils to use AI to drive efficiency, reduce costs, and improve services - especially in critical areas such as adult and children’s social care, homelessness, and special educational needs and disability. We identify high‑impact, reusable AI opportunities and amplify local innovation, while improving data, safety and market confidence so councils can make informed decisions about the technologies they use. As the Senior Service Designer in the AI for Local Government team, you will lead the design of complex, user-centred AI services that meet diverse user needs and comply with government service standards. Collaborating closely with AI specialists, delivery teams, and local government stakeholders. Your role will be pivotal in shaping service design strategies that align with our long-term objectives.

Job description

Find out more about our Digital teams and what they are working on through our MHCLG Digital blog. Please note that MHCLG do not offer visa sponsorship and applicants will need a valid visa for the duration of your employment.

As a senior service designer, you’ll:

• Lead the team to design and iterate the end-to-end service using your expertise, combined with evidence and knowledge you develop about the problem space
• Work as part of an agile, multidisciplinary team to design and deliver the service, including building consensus around the design approach
• Design collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, including policy and operational delivery teams
• Use research and evidence to identify and solve complex problems
• Work with digital and data leaders across the organisation to improve and align services in the wider problem space
• Be part of a growing community of designers in the department

Person specification

As a senior service designer, you’ll have experience of:

• Designing end-to-end services for users in complex environments and to tight delivery timelines; as part of this you’ll be comfortable prioritising design choices to help shape the roadmap
• Involving a wide range of users and stakeholders in design activities and using user research and evidence to make informed choices
• Thinking strategically – considering how our service fits within the wider problem space - and negotiate and influence important design decisions on our own service, but also more widely
• Creating service blueprints and prototypes using a variety of methods and the ability to quickly understand the social, technological and political context of services
• Developing inclusive, accessible and sustainable public services using the GOV.UK Design System and in accordance to the Service Standard and Service Manual.

Desirable

• Experience of working with AI and / or working with local authorities

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,374, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £17,780 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Experience, Technical

Experience and Technical:

• Leading design
• Evidence-based design
• Designing together
• Designing strategically
• Designing for everyone

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Important: Your CV and Cover Letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.

Stage 1: Sift (CV & Cover Letter)

Your CV and covering letter should explain why you are interested in the role (25%) and how your experience meets the essential criteria (75%).

Your CV should fit on one page and your covering letter should be no more than 500 words.

Stage 2: Interview

• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.
• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Candidates will be asked to prepare a 5-minute presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview.

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 9th February 2026 with interview dates to follow. Interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall. This could be subject to change.

Group 1 Digital and Data roles

MHCLG has implemented the Digital and Data capability framework for Group 1 roles. Applicants that are successful and have been offered a position will be required to complete a capability assessment after the interview.

MHCLG will honour completed capability assessments for this role from other Government Departments for existing civil servants on level transfer only.Please provide a copy of your capability assessment to the Hiring Manager when applying. If you have any queries on pay, please contact the Hiring Manager.

Each experience or technical skill is assessed between 1-3, representing working towards, at or above the job level requirements. You are awarded a proficiency level accordingly, and you will be given opportunity to annually re assess your capability and potentially increase your overall remuneration, through payment of allowances, depending on level of assessed capability.

Candidates moving from another government department have the option to retain their current basic pay if this is within our pay band for the relevant grade.

GRADE Group 1 Digital and Data Salary

• The basic pay for this role will be between £66,929 - £81,112 (London), £61,374 - £75,581 (National). Candidates will usually be recruited to the median of the payscale.

• A digital allowance may also be payable depending on the level of assessed capability, in order to meet the MHCLG overall targeted remuneration rate for the specific grade, location and capability rating.

• For applicants in receipt of existing allowances, we will assess each case individually, but we would seek not to exceed the MHCLG overall targeted remuneration rate for the specific grade, location and capability rating for existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply, subject to the statements above.

How We Recruit

Find out everything you need to know before applying here..

• Applying

• Sifting

• Interview

• Interview Results & Feedback

• Reserve List

• Near Miss

• Civil Service Grades

• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer

• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

What you need to know before applying.

Here’s a link to the MHCLG Digital blog

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• Artificial Intelligence

• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles

• CV Declaration

• Sponsorships

• Salary and Grade

• Existing Civil Servants

• Conflict of Interest

• Location and Flexible Working

• Fixed Term Contracts

• Internal Fraud Database - Internal Fraud Register

• Appeals and Complaints

• Conflict of Interest

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office:

London Office: + CTC

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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 theCivil 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

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 : Digital Data Jobs
• Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk