Design Researcher

Company: Pontoon Solutions

Location: Leeds

Posted: April 11th, 2026

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Digital Principle Recruiter @ Pontoon Solutions | Talent Management

Role: Design Researcher

Location: Leeds 2x per days on site required

Duration: 6-month initial contract

About the Role:

We’re looking for a passionate and experienced Service Designer to help craft seamless digital experiences and champion service design within one of the UK’s largest financial institutions. This is a key opportunity to work at the heart of a significant transformation programme, helping to shape user-focused services that make a real difference to millions of customers.

You’ll play a pivotal role in designing and improving multi-channel services, working across teams to ensure user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility are aligned.

Key Responsibilities

Work collaboratively within agile, cross-functional teams to explore priorities, shape strategic initiatives, and define end-to-end service journeys.
Apply customer, colleague, and market insights to inform new or improved propositions and services.
Facilitate workshops and engage stakeholders to understand context, manage risks, and guide decision-making.
Contribute to research, mapping current and future service states to identify opportunities for optimisation.
Bring user needs to the forefront of decisions, challenge assumptions, and advocate for inclusive and evidence-based design.
Share knowledge and best practice across the design community and help evolve the service design craft internally.
Foster strong relationships with product owners, engineers, researchers, and fellow designers.
Take ownership of your personal development and contribute positively to team culture and capability growth.

What We’re Looking For

Proven experience in service design, ideally within large, complex organisations or regulated environments.
A user-centred mindset and a strong grasp of design thinking methodologies and research techniques.
Confidence in communicating effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including the ability to influence and challenge constructively.
Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced environment, with a proactive and collaborative approach to problem solving.
Demonstrated ability to balance big-picture thinking with attention to detail in designing holistic service experiences.
Experience working in agile or multidisciplinary teams is essential.

Why Join Us?

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a major digital transformation within a dynamic and inclusive environment. You'll be encouraged to grow professionally and personally, with plenty of support to develop your skills and shape the way design is embedded across the organisation.

The organisation champions diversity and is committed to creating a welcoming, accessible environment for all. Reasonable adjustments can be made throughout the recruitment process – just let us know your needs.

Candidates will ideally show evidence of the above in their CV to be considered please click the “apply” button.

Please be advised if you haven't heard from us within 48 hours then unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion, we may however keep your details on file for any suitable future vacancies and contact you accordingly.

Pontoon is an employment consultancy. We put expertise, energy, and enthusiasm into improving everyone’s chance of being part of the workplace. We respect and appreciate people of all ethnicities, generations, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, gender identities, and more. We do this by showcasing their talents, skills, and unique experience in an inclusive environment that helps them thrive.

Seniority level

Seniority level
Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Employment type
Contract

Job function

Job function
Design

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