Who we are

Open Government Products is an experimental tech start-up team within government that consists mainly of engineers, designers, and product managers who build technology for the public good. We proactively identify areas where technology can help, test our prototypes with actual users, and bring our best ones to launch. As an experimental team, we have redesigned our organisation to move quickly, fail fast, and scale what works to deliver the maximum public good within a larger bureaucracy. We think about how we run the organisation from first principles, keep a flat hierarchy to maximise ownership, and bypass bureaucracy to focus on delivery of good products through a good organisation. We work on real problems, build for the user, and push for change.

Products we've built

You can read about all our products at open.gov.sg/products . A few examples:

• Data.gov.sg- An open repository of all the Singapore Government's public data. It helps people understand the data using visualizations and articles, and provides real-time APIs for developers to use.
• Parking.sg- A mobile app alternative to parking coupons. It lets users pay, extend, and refund their parking sessions just using their phones.
• FormSG- A form builder tool for agencies to self-service and create online forms that capture classified data, with the goal of replacing paper forms.
• Isomer- Isomer provides government agencies with an easy-to-deploy static website building and hosting service to create usable, secure and faster informational websites quickly.
• Vaccine.gov.sg- The Covid-19 vaccine registration and national appointment system was developed to help people register for the vaccine in order of priority, and help manage supply and demand of vaccines to increase the rate at which Singapore's population is vaccinated against Covid-19.
• PaySG- PaySG was developed to enable digital payments for government services, and was initially used for payments for COVID-19 swab tests and Stay-Home Notices for incoming travellers to Singapore.

What does a Lead Product Designer do?

You will play a pivotal role in shaping the design direction of critical government products, ensuring they are user-centred and strategically aligned with policy goals. You will spend about two-thirds of your time on hands-on design work, leading efforts for highly complex products or platforms, translating user insights into refined and intuitive experiences. The remainder of your time will focus on design strategy, mentorship, and leadership, depending on your career aspirations and the team's needs.

Your impact will extend across the organisation-whether it's simplifying disconnected services, elevating the design craft of your team, or driving organisational design standards that inspire change across multiple government agencies. You will use your expertise to solve ambiguous, open-ended problems and create innovative design systems that accelerate productivity and improve the public's interaction with the government.

On a day to day basis, this means:

• Hands-on design: Lead the design of complex, impactful products that address large-scale societal challenges. Break down ambiguous problems, transforming insights into refined prototypes and delivering intuitive, user-centred experiences across government services.
• Rapid prototyping: Focus on action over deliberation. We prioritise testing ideas early to quickly identify potential issues and demonstrate what's possible, allowing for faster, more effective iteration.
• Leadership & strategy: Mentor and coach designers while guiding cross-functional teams. Advocate for user-centred design across the organisation by setting strategic design direction and standards that elevate the quality of public services, ensuring cohesive, integrated experiences across platforms.
• Collaboration: Partner closely with engineers and policymakers to ensure the successful execution of your designs. Bridge the gap between product teams and stakeholders to align on priorities, streamline complex systems, and drive successful outcomes.
• Organisational impact: Drive initiatives that tackle systemic design challenges and foster innovation. Develop and implement new design methodologies that inspire and enhance the organisation's approach to solving public service issues.
• Ownership: Take full responsibility for your work, offering insights on current projects and proposing new ideas for future initiatives. Building something you believe in leads to more meaningful and impactful outcomes.
• Continuous learning: Embrace the unknown. Working on novel ideas often requires learning new architectures, frameworks, technologies, or even languages. Continuous learning isn't just encouraged-it's essential for growth and success.

We look for people who

• Have proven experience in product design: We value practical experience and a portfolio that demonstrates your ability to design impactful products and experiences. While specific degrees are less important, we seek candidates with more than 8 years of experience in digital product design.
• Have excellence in craft with an eye for details: You possess an exceptional eye for detail and a keen sense of visual design. Your portfolio should highlight your past work and your ability to clearly articulate the reasoning behind your design decisions.
• Have passion for user-centred design: You are deeply committed to designing with the user in mind. You bring hands-on experience with user research methodologies and have a strong understanding of mobile-first and responsive design principles.
• Are proficient with design tools: You are highly skilled in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite. Experience with web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is a valuable plus.
• Can effectively communicate: You are adept at bridging the gap between users and engineers, incorporating feedback from non-technical stakeholders and communicating design details clearly to technical teams for seamless implementation.
• Proactive mindset: You are not content with the status quo and are eager to drive change. You take initiative to make things happen, particularly when it comes to pushing for improvements and innovation in government services.
• Are committed to public good: You are motivated by a desire to make a meaningful impact on society. As a public servant, you are willing to challenge political pressures and policies when they do not align with the best interests of the public.

What it is like working here

• Rapid Prototyping - Instead of spending too much time debating ideas we prefer testing them. This identifies potential problems quickly, and more importantly, conveys what is possible to others easily.
• Ownership - In addition to technical responsibilities, this means having opinions on what is being done and having ideas on what should be done next. Building something that you believe in is the best way to build something good.
• Continuous Learning - Working on new ideas often means not fully understanding what you are working on. Taking time to learn new architectures, frameworks, technologies, and even languages is not just encouraged but essential.