Band 8A NHS Lead Service Designer

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:

• Lead the planning and delivery of complex service design activities across digital health projects.
• Manage, coach and mentor junior researchers and designers, embedding best practice and user-centred methods across teams.
• Shape end-to-end service design by conducting in-depth user research, mapping journeys and aligning digital services to user needs.
• Champion inclusive and accessible design, ensuring engagement with diverse user groups.
• Work with Agile multidisciplinary teams, influencing service improvements and ensuring quality across outputs.
• Support delivery teams in understanding behavioural data and evidence to shape service improvements and strategic decisions.
• Play an instrumental role in driving cultural change across the organisation through stakeholder engagement and user advocacy.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience as a Lead Service Designer or Senior User Researcher in digital environments.
• Strong understanding of Agile, user-centred design and service transformation methods.
• Hands-on experience with end-to-end user research and analysis, journey mapping, and service blueprinting.
• Expertise in collaborating with cross-functional teams including product owners, developers, policy teams and delivery managers.
• High-level stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with ability to simplify complex findings.
• Strong documentation, facilitation and coaching skills.
• Experience working in healthcare, public sector or similarly regulated environments.

Desirable:

• NHS or healthcare digital programme experience.
• Experience supporting implementation of GP service delivery tools or national digital health services.
• Familiarity with CA-SPA, Email Connect, or Integration Hub platforms.
• FEDIP Senior Practitioner or similar recognised UX/Research certification.

*Rates depend on experience and client requirements