Senior Service Designer | Transformation | Wellington

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Date: 19 Oct 2026

Location: Wellington, NZ

Company: Ministry of Social Development

 

  • Permanent role 

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

  • Design and trial new service models for priority client groups  

  • Lead inclusive design sessions with clients, providers, partners and colleagues  

 

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 a skilled service designer who enjoys turning insight into practical services that make a difference? This role gives you the opportunity to design, test and improve service models for priority client groups.

 

As a Senior Service Designer, you will use research, evidence and best-practice design and co-design approaches to identify new service opportunities, develop business cases and plan robust service trials. You will draw on current and previous service models, approaches and artefacts created by MSD and ones that are used by other agencies and organisations, and international practice to create tailored, evidence-based solutions.

 

You will facilitate service design discussions and co-creation sessions with diverse groups, contribute to client journey mapping, blueprinting and other cross-channel experience principles, and turn insights into differentiated service experiences. You will also share emerging service design practice and support other designers to strengthen their ideas and approaches.

What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga

 

  • You will be curious, collaborative and confident working through ambiguity, bringing together diverse views and evidence to create service designs that are practical, inclusive and focused on outcomes.  
  • Proven experience drawing together a wide range of views and information to develop tailored, successful service designs  
  • Experience leading service design activity that has created innovative, evidence-based service models or improvements  
  • Demonstrated client-focused service design experience in a comparable environment  
  • Strong facilitation, workshop, co-creation, presentation and communication skills  
  • The ability to design robust service trials that generate meaningful information about effectiveness  
  • 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

 

You will work on meaningful service design challenges with broad scope to explore, test and refine new approaches. You will collaborate with clients, partners, providers and colleagues, build your practice alongside other designers, and help develop services that are better tailored to priority client groups and improve outcomes for New Zealanders.  

Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga

 

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

Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $103,815.00 - $125,958.00

 

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.