Job Specification The Role of a Value Designer

🎯 Role Definition

The Value Designer is a strategic linchpin, operating at the intersection of business strategy, customer experience, and technology solutions. This is not a traditional sales or design role; it is a consultative partner responsible for illuminating and articulating the tangible, economic value of our offerings for our clients. You are the architect of the "why"—translating complex product capabilities into compelling, C-suite-ready business cases. By deeply understanding a customer's world—their challenges, strategic goals, and operational realities—the Value Designer co-creates a vision for transformation and builds the data-driven justification for change, ensuring our solutions are not just purchased, but embraced as critical drivers of success.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Management Consulting / Strategy Consulting
Business Analysis or Systems Analysis
Pre-Sales Engineering / Solution Consulting
Product Marketing or Product Management

Advancement To:

Principal or Lead Value Designer
Director of Value Engineering / Business Value Services
Head of Business Strategy or Corporate Strategy
Senior Leadership in Product Management or Customer Success

Lateral Moves:

Service Design Lead
Enterprise Architect
Customer Success Strategist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead executive-level discovery workshops and in-depth interviews with client stakeholders to diagnose business pain points, map strategic priorities, and uncover latent needs.
Develop and articulate powerful value propositions that are tailored to specific customer contexts, industries, and executive personas, moving beyond feature-based discussions.
Construct sophisticated and defensible financial models, including Return on Investment (ROI), Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), and Net Present Value (NPV) analyses, to quantify the economic impact of our solutions.
Create and deliver highly persuasive, narrative-driven presentations and business cases to C-level executives, articulating a clear and compelling story for investment and change.
Utilize design thinking and service design methodologies, such as customer journey mapping, service blueprinting, and value stream analysis, to identify key moments of opportunity and friction.
Collaborate intimately with sales and account teams to infuse a value-based perspective throughout the entire sales cycle, from initial qualification to final negotiation.
Function as a trusted advisor to prospective and existing clients, guiding them through a consultative process of self-discovery and solution evaluation.
Build and maintain a repository of industry-specific benchmarks, key performance indicators (KPIs), and customer success metrics to strengthen the credibility of value propositions.
Quantify the before-and-after impact of our solutions, translating technical benefits into measurable business outcomes like revenue uplift, cost savings, risk reduction, and improved employee productivity.
Develop bespoke value realization roadmaps for clients, outlining a phased approach to achieving the projected business benefits post-implementation.
Interview and collaborate with existing customers to capture and document realized value, turning their successes into powerful case studies and testimonials.
Research and analyze industry trends, competitive landscapes, and macroeconomic factors to provide strategic context and enrich customer conversations.
Design and facilitate collaborative "art of the possible" sessions that inspire customers with a vision for future-state transformation, powered by our platform.
Act as the "voice of the customer's business" to internal product and engineering teams, providing data-backed insights to influence the product roadmap and feature prioritization.
Standardize and scale value-selling tools, templates, and frameworks across the go-to-market organization to elevate the entire team's effectiveness.

Secondary Functions

Coach and mentor sales professionals and solution engineers on the principles and practices of consultative, value-centric selling.
Support ad-hoc data requests and perform exploratory analysis to uncover novel insights and value levers for specific accounts or industries.
Contribute to the organization's thought leadership by creating white papers, blog posts, and webinar content focused on business value and industry transformation.
Participate in sprint planning, retrospectives, and other agile ceremonies as a key representative of the go-to-market and customer strategy.
Continuously refine and innovate the Value Design team's engagement model, tools, and deliverables to improve quality and impact.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Financial Modeling & Business Case Creation: Deep expertise in building complex, multi-variable financial models (ROI, TCO, Payback Period) using spreadsheets and other tools.
Design Thinking & Service Design: Proficient in applying methodologies like Customer Journey Mapping, Service Blueprinting, Value Proposition Canvas, and Empathy Mapping.
Workshop Facilitation: Proven ability to design and lead interactive, outcome-oriented workshops for senior and executive audiences, both virtually and in-person.
Business Process Analysis: Ability to deconstruct, analyze, and map complex business processes to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
Data Analysis & Visualization: Competency in analyzing quantitative and qualitative data and presenting findings in a clear, visually compelling manner using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or even advanced PowerPoint/Keynote.
Strategic Frameworks Application: Familiarity and practical application of business strategy frameworks (e.g., Porter's Five Forces, SWOT, Business Model Canvas).
Value Engineering Methodologies: Formal training or significant experience in value-selling frameworks (e.g., MEDDPICC, Challenger Sale principles, Value-as-a-Service).

Soft Skills

Executive Presence & Communication: The ability to command a room, build credibility instantly with senior leaders, and communicate complex ideas with simplicity and confidence.
Consultative Mindset: A natural inclination to ask probing questions, listen intently, and diagnose root causes rather than simply presenting solutions.
Intellectual Curiosity: A genuine passion for learning about different businesses, industries, and technologies, coupled with a relentless drive to understand "how things work."
Strategic Storytelling: The craft of weaving data, insights, and customer context into a compelling narrative that inspires action and builds consensus.
Stakeholder Management & Influence: Adept at navigating complex organizational structures, identifying key decision-makers, and influencing outcomes without direct authority.
High Business Acumen: A strong, intuitive grasp of how businesses operate, generate revenue, manage costs, and compete in the market.
Grit & Resilience: The ability to handle ambiguity, navigate challenging client conversations, and maintain focus on long-term, complex deal cycles.
Empathy: The capacity to genuinely understand and share the feelings of a client, putting their challenges and goals at the forefront of every interaction.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

A Bachelor's degree is required. We value experience and aptitude heavily, but a foundational degree provides a strong starting point.

Preferred Education:

A Master's degree, particularly an MBA, Master's in Design Strategy, Finance, or a related field, is highly advantageous and often correlates with success in this role.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration / Management
Finance or Economics
Information Systems / Computer Science
Strategic Design or Innovation

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

We typically see successful candidates bringing 7-12+ years of relevant professional experience. This is not an entry-level position.

Preferred:

Direct experience in a role where you were responsible for building business cases and articulating value is paramount. We find the most qualified individuals often come from a background in top-tier management consulting, value engineering/advisory at a major software company, strategic pre-sales, or an internal corporate strategy role with a focus on technology investment justification. You need to have a proven track record of engaging with director-level and above stakeholders on strategic and financial matters.