Lead Service Designer | Transformation | Wellington

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Date: 19 Oct 2026

Location: Wellington, NZ

Company: Ministry of Social Development

 

  • Fixed term for 2 years 

  • Based at National Office in Wellington (Auckland/Christchurch considered) 

  • Lead significant service design initiatives  

  • Shape service strategy and influence complex decisions  

  • Build service design capability and mentor others across MSD  

 

MSD is transforming how we deliver services, creating a welfare system that’s simpler, smarter and centred on people. 

 

Join a talented team delivering one of New Zealand’s most significant transformation programmes and help create better experiences and outcomes for New Zealanders. 

 

About our team | Mō te tīma

 

Business Service Design sits within MSD’s Transformation Group and helps turn strategic priorities into practical, customer-centred service improvements. Working across multidisciplinary teams, the practice brings together customer insight, service performance information and organisational needs to shape services that are effective, connected and ready for implementation. 

About the role | Mō te tūnga

 

Are you an experienced service design leader who can turn complex customer and organisational challenges into clear, practical improvements? This is an opportunity to influence how services are designed and continuously improved across MSD.  

 

As Lead Service Designer, you will provide strategic leadership for significant service and customer experience initiatives. You will use human-centred design, research, journey mapping, analysis, testing and engagement to identify service gaps, understand root causes and develop improvement roadmaps.  

 

You will partner with leaders, stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams to shape service strategies, facilitate alignment and support evidence-based decisions. As a recognised subject matter expert, you will also mentor others, strengthen service design practice and champion a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.  

 

This role works within a practice-based model and may be assigned to different initiatives, programmes and workstreams as business needs change.

What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga

 

  • You will bring deep service design expertise, strong strategic judgement and the credibility to influence senior leaders and diverse stakeholders
  • Extensive experience leading complex service design activity in a transformation environment
  • Significant experience applying service design methods and tools across complex initiatives and shaping strategic service improvements
  • The ability to connect strategy and delivery, translating implementation requirements into practical service design recommendations and solutions
  • Strong research, analysis, journey mapping, testing, workshop facilitation and stakeholder engagement capability
  • Proven ability to mentor, motivate and influence others, building capability, collaboration and high performance
  • Ability to work through ambiguity, identifying where Service Design capablity and artefacts are required to add value and strengthen programme deliverables
  • A commitment to embedding Te Ao Māori, te reo Māori, tikanga, kawa and Te Tiriti o Waitangi into the way we work

What’s in it for you | Nōu te rourou

 

  • The opportunity to lead high-profile, complex service design work and see your thinking translate into real improvements for New Zealanders.
  • Genuine scope to shape service strategy and influence important decisions, rather than simply delivering against a predetermined solution.
  • The opportunity to work alongside leaders, specialists and multidisciplinary teams, bringing together customer insight, evidence and strategy to create meaningful change.

Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga

 

A copy of the position description can be found here. Lead Service Designer, position description

Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $122,381.00 - $152,296.00

 

Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: 11.59pm, Thursday 29 October 2026

 

 

About us | Mō mātou

 

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.

 

We provide social policy advice to government, and assistance including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.

 

As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.

 

Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.

 

How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono

 

Before you submit your application, please take a moment to review our guidance to understand how AI can best support your application. Candidate Guidance - Responsible AI use in recruitment

 

To apply, click the 'Apply Now' button to upload your CV, cover letter and complete the online application form.

 

Note: Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process. Please highlight how your skills and experience relate to the key responsibilities listed in the position description and job advertisement.

 

All applications must be made online. If this is not possible or if you have any queries, please contact us at jobs@msd.govt.nz

 

Internal MSD Employees – please apply through your myHR portal at work. This will ensure that your myHR employee profile is visible as internal candidate.

 

Joining us | Ko te hono mai

 

Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.

 

We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. You can find out more about our values here.

 

If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.