Location

Available in London or Hastings

About the job 

Salary: £37,803 - £46,205

Location: London or Hastings

Reporting to: Head of User Research & Design 

Do you have excellent interpersonal skills as well as the ability to be understanding and empathise with others?

Would you thrive in a team where you are supported and encouraged to help coach other user researchers with your ideas?

Are you interested in a people-centred role within the public sector?

If so, we want to hear from you! Job description

We’re looking for a Senior User Researcher who will advocate user-needs based design to join our Digital Services directorate at the Department for Transport (DfT). You will be responsible for leading on the planning and conducting of user research as well as gathering user experience insights from throughout the Department and beyond.

We are looking for someone who is experienced with crafting end-to-end user research plans and strategies and who understands how these relate to design thinking and service design. You will have experience of providing information and insight gained from research activities that can be used to identify high value outcomes for service users. These findings will actively shape our digital services as they are being delivered.

This is a people-centred role and will typically suit an individual with superb interpersonal skills.

As a Senior User Researcher you will help the Head of User Research and Design and other senior colleagues lead a growing User Research and Design team, create positive working relationships across the Department, create and contribute to a DfT family User-Centred Design community of practice, and ensure that we share, learn and standardise our working practices across our portfolio of work.
 

Responsibilities

Role responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Leading on user research and analysis for a range of complex digital services and products utilised by various user groups to ensure an in-depth and detailed understanding of user needs.
• Aligning user research with wider departmental plans and embedding user-centred practices across the Digital Service and DfT.
• Analysing user research data and producing evidence-based insights and recommendations to inform business and technology decisions.
• Actively seeking input from a diverse range of users including those with particular access and other needs.
• Delivering outputs that meet accessibility requirements and continuously demonstrating empathy and understanding of users’ experiences.

About You

We are looking for a confident communicator who holds good understanding and experience of using user research methods. You will be a diligent individual with an eye for detail and analytics who has experience of choosing appropriate research methods for different scenarios and executing them confidently and effectively. You will need to have experience in analysing and communicating user research results together with deriving robust recommendations from your analysis. Your engagement and relationship building skills will enable you to influence and challenge at all levels.

You will love working as part of multidisciplinary teams using the agile methodology and will enjoy investing time to generate a common focus and genuine team spirit. You are a strong advocate for change and continuous improvement and someone who both handles change well and can adapt easily to changing environments.

We are looking for someone who has experience of attracting and who is passionate about coaching/ mentoring more junior/ less experienced user researchers to drive a positive work culture and their professional development. You will need to be a highly organised and experienced UR who can define and assure best practice, help influence organisational strategy and priorities and manage a range of stakeholders.

We are committed to encouraging and enabling our staff to develop in and above their role and to this end will support you through further development opportunities/ qualifications.

For more information on our digital transformation, please head over to our Digital Blog and LinkedIn .

About us

Our mission at the Department for Transport is ‘connecting people and places’. Everything we do to achieve this is reinforced by our values:
- Confidence: to challenge, to take action, to innovate
- Excellence: in our professionalism, in our delivery, in our learning
- Teamwork: we are inclusive, we collaborate, we support each other

These values define the kind of organisation we want to be – delivering for today whilst being ambitious for tomorrow.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Research Skills DDAT Skills Click here for the Framework
• Analysis & Synthesis DDAT Skills Click here for the Framework
• User-Centred & Agile Practices DDAT Skills Click here for the Framework
• Strategic Insight DDAT Skills Click here for the Framework

Benefits 

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits.

This includes:
- a generous annual leave entitlement,
- attractive pension options,
- flexible working,
- good career development opportunities,
- a variety of career paths,
- inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Things you need to know 

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

The sift is due to take place Week Commencing 9th March.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held Week Commencing 23rd March.

Interviews will likely be held in London.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a security check may be carried out.

How to Apply

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, please tailor your CV and Personal Statement to reflect the role and the essential skills/ criteria described in Role Profile.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. For further information on Success Profiles please click here.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment could include:

• An interview with one or more exercises

The interview may consist of a range of question types which could include questions about your strengths or how you would respond in any given situation, as well as specific examples of things you have done. You may also be asked to sit a written assessment or present on a particular topic.

Your interview may consist of a range of question types. These may include questions about:

• What energises and motivates you
• How you would manage situations relevant to the role
• Your previous experience
• Your professional skills and knowledge

Further Information

We have adopted anonymised recruitment. This means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the sift panel.

We may hold a merit list for up to twelve months. During this time, if a similar role is identified and you have been placed on the merit list you may be considered for the post. Within the merit list period, your application form and selection information may be shared across the department and its agencies.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact:

Government Recruitment Services via email: [email protected]

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission:
Click here to visit Civil Service Commission.

Childcare Vouchers:

Any move to the Department for Transport (DfT) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Apply and further information Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name :   Digital Resourcing Team Email :   [email protected]   Recruitment team : Email :   [email protected] Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/) to visit Civil Service Commission