Job Title Lead Service Designer (EL1 equivalent)
Rates $130 – $150 per hour
* Initial contract: to 30 June 2026
* Extension options: up to 24 months (2 x 12 months)
* Start date: 1 March 2026
* Hours: 8 hours per day
* Hybrid working arrangements
* National Locations
* Australian Citizenship Required (Baseline Security Clearance)
The OpportunityWe are seeking two experienced Lead Service Designers to support the Department of Veterans' Affairs in delivering human-centred, policy-aligned digital services across complex administered programs.
These roles operate at an EL1-equivalent level and are suited to practitioners who can work confidently across legislation, policy, ICT delivery and service transformation, translating user needs into practical, implementable service design outcomes.
You will play a key role in shaping end-to-end service experiences, supporting digital product development, and ensuring alignment with mandated government frameworks, including the Digital Experience Policy.
This is a hands-on delivery role within a multidisciplinary environment, working closely with product owners, delivery teams and senior stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
* Develop and maintain service blueprints, service maps and end-to-end service models
* Create user journey maps, service artefacts and design communications for diverse audiences
* Apply human-centred design methods to complex, policy-driven service environments
* Translate research insights, business requirements and technical constraints into actionable designs
* Support digital product builds and system enhancements, ensuring user needs inform decisions
* Collaborate closely with delivery teams on feature refinement and detailed design
* Build trusted relationships with business stakeholders and influence service design outcomes
* Contribute to alignment with whole-of-government digital and service design policies
Essential Criteria To be successful, you will demonstrate:
* Proven experience developing and implementing service design concepts and structures
* Strong capability applying Human Centred Design (HCD) in complex program environments
* Experience supporting digital product development or system enhancements
* Ability to engage, collaborate and plan across multiple business areas and disciplines
* High-level communication and visualisation skills, including presenting service artefacts to senior stakeholders
Desirable Experience
* Experience within Veterans' Affairs, social services, health or benefits-based programs
* Experience working within Commonwealth policy and regulatory environments
Security & Eligibility
* Australian Citizenship is mandatory
* Must hold a Baseline security clearance
* Candidates without citizenship or clearance eligibility will not be considered
How to Apply This role requires a one-page pitch (up to 5,000 characters) addressing the selection criteria, submitted with your CV. There will be an application process ioncluding an application form, that will form part of the shortlisting process. Candidates not meeting the basic criteria, Citizenship and Clearance will not be shortlisted.
If you are an experienced Lead Service Designer who thrives in complex government environments and wants to shape meaningful services for veterans and their families, we would like to hear from you.