The Role
You will work across different council services / directorates / internal functions (HR / Finance / Procurement / Operations / Administration), taking transformation opportunities from discovery through to future-state design and delivery.
Understanding the As-Is is important, but the real value you will bring is defining the To-Be.
You will examine how work is delivered, where time and resources are consumed and what could be removed, simplified, automated or redesigned entirely.
Technology will be a major enabler.
There is particular interest in using AI, automation and the Microsoft technology stack to reduce manual activity, improve productivity, release organisational capacity and enable fundamentally different ways of delivering services.
Discovery & Service Design
You will need to select the right discovery and analysis techniques for each problem, rather than applying the same approach everywhere.
For a small service, this could mean observation and detailed 1-to-1 interviews.
For a workforce of 400, you might combine surveys, operational data, targeted interviews, workshops and representative user groups.
You will turn qualitative and quantitative information into insight and use this evidence to design the future service.
What You'll Be Doing
- Leading discovery across frontline services, operational teams and corporate functions
- Using interviews, workshops, observation, surveys and data analysis appropriately
- Mapping end-to-end services, processes and customer/user journeys
- Identifying pain points, duplication, manual activity, failure demand and unnecessary hand-offs
- Challenging why existing processes and ways of working exist
- Designing ambitious but deliverable To-Be services and processes
- Considering change across people, process, technology, data, policy and organisational structure
- Identifying opportunities for AI, automation and Microsoft technologies to reduce manual activity and release capacity
- Translating future-state designs into clear business and technical requirements
- Producing service blueprints, process maps, user journeys, user stories and acceptance criteria
- Working with developers, Product, Digital, Data and technical specialists to shape solutions and MVPs
- Supporting testing, implementation, iteration and adoption
Technology & AI
Experience around Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Copilot, Dynamics, workflow automation and AI-enabled solutions would be particularly valuable.
Previous experience identifying and delivering AI or automation opportunities is a significant advantage.
You should be capable of distinguishing between something that needs process improvement, conventional automation or a genuinely AI-enabled solution.
What We're Looking For
- We want people combining Service Design thinking with strong Business Analysis skills, with specific examples where you personally have:
- Taken an unclear service problem and structured the discovery
- Selected appropriate research and analysis techniques
- Challenged an existing process rather than simply documenting it
- Designed a significantly different To-Be service
- Used evidence and user insight to support your recommendations
- Identified opportunities for AI, automation or technology-enabled redesign
- Translated service designs into requirements for technical teams
- Worked alongside developers and technical specialists through delivery
- Supported testing, implementation and iteration
Your Background
You might currently describe yourself as a Service Designer, Senior Business Analyst, Transformation Business Analyst, Business Process Analyst or Business Architect.
Local authority, council or wider public-sector experience would be useful but is not essential.
We are equally interested in candidates from complex commercial organisations who can bring new ideas and approaches.
This is an opportunity to work across a broad modernisation programme and genuinely influence how services should operate in the future, rather than simply improving the processes that already exist.