Senior Service Designer (2 years)

The University of Alberta is a major Canadian research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students, and a global alumni community of 300,000. The university conducts research and education across a wide range of disciplines, with a mission to generate knowledge and solutions that make the world healthier, safer, and more just. This role sits within the Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery (OSTAD), the team responsible for driving large-scale, cross-functional initiatives that translate high-level institutional goals into tangible results.

## The role

The Senior Service Designer reports to the Manager, Service Design, and is accountable for the development and execution of service design, improvement, and innovation for student services across the university. There are 2 vacancies, each with a term length of 2 years. The role is hybrid, with work primarily taking place at North Campus Edmonton.

## What you would do

• Lead teams toward a unified direction for university services using human-centred design principles and design thinking methodologies.
• Apply design and systems thinking to solve complex problems and bring cross-functional teams together around broader organisational objectives.
• Manage multiple service design projects at various stages of completion simultaneously.
• Facilitate, coach, and train cross-functional teams and stakeholders on integrating student-centred design methods into their work.
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities and build quality assurance mechanisms to transform business processes and service delivery.
• Develop compelling strategies for service innovation using emerging trends and data, with the goal of enhancing the student experience.

## What they are looking for A bachelor's degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Information Management, Design (interaction, graphic, visual communications, product, or industrial), Human Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field — or equivalent practical experience.

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in service design; 8 or more years preferred.
• Deep understanding of human-centred design processes and practices.
• Expertise in service blueprinting, customer journey mapping, and ecosystem modelling.
• Strong workshop facilitation skills, experience with co-design methodologies, and the ability to present and tell stories to executive audiences.
• Knowledge of change management principles, methodologies, and tools, with proven organisational change management skills.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesise complex findings and communicate them clearly to varied stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building, communication, influencing, and negotiation skills across a wide range of stakeholders and seniority levels.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and exploring creative possibilities, with an understanding of cultural differences.

## Working arrangements

This is a hybrid role combining remote and in-person work, with in-person work primarily at North Campus Edmonton. The position is full time and subject to the collective agreement between the Governors of the University of Alberta and the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

## Pay and benefits

The position offers a comprehensive benefits package. Salary is not specified in the listing.