Service Design Lead

Who We Are

PLATO is Canada’s largest Indigenous-owned software testing and technology services company. For nearly 30 years, our expert teams have helped our clients deliver reliable products that users enjoy interacting with.

Our 100% Canada‑based team brings deep experience in QA, software testing, and IT services, along with a shared commitment to collaboration, mentorship, and continuous improvement. We’re a team that shows up for each other, whether that’s tackling complex client challenges or helping colleagues grow through coaching and knowledge‑sharing.

As Canada’s largest Indigenous‑owned software testing company, we’re proud of our roots and our mission to build a stronger, more inclusive technology workforce. At the same time, we warmly welcome applicants of all backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about quality, teamwork, and making an impact.

Role: Service Design Lead

Duration-ASAP until Jan 31st with possibility of extensions

Clearance- Reliability and eligible for Secret (10 years in Canada)

Service design and future-state definition

• Lead end-to-end service design for the NIIS replacement, covering the full investigation lifecycle from referral intake through to case closure and outcome recording.

• Define future-state investigator journeys, operating models, and experience principles across all user groups — investigators, supervisors, oversight teams, and benefit program stakeholders.

• Identify and design for interim-state operating models required during the transition from legacy NIIS to the new platform.

Design-ready feature delivery

• Drive the translation of program objectives and business requirements into design-ready features aligned to program standards.

• Collaborate with Product Planning Leads and the Business Analyst to ensure features are user-centered, technically feasible, and ready for build.

• Facilitate design review sessions with ESDC product owners and SMEs, ensuring features are endorsed within the agreed review and endorsement timeline.

• Maintain design consistency across features, channels, and workstreams throughout the delivery program.

Stakeholder engagement

• Plan and facilitate stakeholder workshops with ESDC business leads, FRMO, Business Solutions Operations, IITB, and investigator cohorts.

• Align cross-functional requirements between service processes, digital channels, and the Curam technology solution.

• Coordinate with the NIIS Planning Lead to ensure design progress is sequenced against delivery commitments and sprint cadence.

Human-centered design and continuous improvement

• Embed human-centered design practices throughout delivery, from requirements gathering through to UAT and go-live.

• Advocate for the investigator experience in every design and delivery decision.

• Contribute to change management planning by ensuring training and adoption materials reflect the designed service experience.

• Support post-go-live improvement cycles based on investigator feedback and operational data.

Requirements:

Demonstrated experience leading service design on large-scale government or enterprise transformation programs.

• Deep expertise in service design methods, journey mapping, service blueprinting, co-design facilitation, and experience prototyping.

• Ability to operate at both strategic and detailed levels, defining future-state operating models and reviewing individual feature designs in the same week.

• Experience collaborating with Agile delivery teams, product owners, and solution architects in a fast-paced program environment.

• Strong facilitation and stakeholder management skills, comfortable leading workshops with senior government stakeholders and frontline investigators alike.

Work With Us

At PLATO, we believe that great work happens when people feel supported, connected, and challenged in the right ways. You’ll be part of a collaborative environment where experienced professionals share knowledge, mentor others, and contribute to solving complex, real‑world client projects.

We are committed to inclusive hiring practices and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, and Indigenous peoples. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, we’re here to support you.

PLATO respectfully acknowledges that we operate on treaty territories, unceded First Nations and Inuit territories, and within Métis homelands. We honour the long history of these lands and actively work toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non‑Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island.