2836 - Senior User Researcher

As a User Researcher you will:

• Plan, design, prepare and deliver user research activities to support the design, development and continuous improvement of government services (including contextual discovery, early stage concept and prototype testing, lab based usability and accessibility testing)
• Design and run contextual and discovery research to develop a deep understanding of the needs of all users of a service
• Manage the usability and accessibility testing process from recruiting participants, designing test tasks and preparing discussion guides to test moderation, analysis and presenting results
• Lead the design, execution and analysis of ad-hoc quantitative surveys
• Conduct required user research throughout Alpha and Beta phases of projects to launch, including post-launch research as required
• Communicate user research findings to the team and wider organisation so that they share a strong and empathetic understanding of their users (including presentations at show and tells, designing and maintaining research outputs on the team wall and formal reports)
• Work closely with designers and developers to turn user research findings into stories and other deliverables that lead to valuable product and service features
• Align user research activities with wider plans to inform service proposition
• Use performance and web analytics to create a rich picture of user behaviour to tell the full story of how and why people use our services
• Contribute to the user research community within GDS and across government
• Mentor and guide more junior user researchers to assure and improve research practice
• Take part in and present your findings in Government Digital Service Assessments, where this is required, before a service launch.

Skills and experience

It’s essential that you have demonstrable experience of:

• Designing and building online transactional services, especially those with a complex user journey
• Experience and knowledge of user-centered design practices
• Designing, facilitating and analysing research, using the full range of methodologies including contextual research studies, quantitative research studies, usability and accessibility testing
• Working in an agile development team with developers, technical architects, product managers, business analysts and a delivery manager using your research findings to help effect better service design
• Advocating user research and engaging sceptical colleagues and stakeholders in research benefits and opportunities
• Working with a cross-functional team to scope user research within defined project phases and timescales

It is desirable that you have:

• A good understanding of the social and technological context for government services, and experience of aligning user research activities to help teams understand changing user behaviour
• A degree in HCI/Usability/Cognitive Psychology/Market Research or related field, or relevant experience.
• Experience of audience modelling and developing data driven personas
• An understanding and experience of working to Government Digital Service standards within the user research role
• Ability to craft clickable UX prototypes using GDS government toolkit or other prototype software (e.g Axure)

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally require 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement but supplementary checks may be required where individuals have not lived in the UK for the required period. This may mean that your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

The Cabinet Office offers an exciting range of unique opportunities for those who want to apply their digital skills at the heart of Government.   

The Cabinet Office Digital & Technology team is looking for an experienced User Researcher to deliver digital services that meet user needs in areas as diverse as National Security & Civil Contingencies, Electoral Registration, Fraud, Error & Debt, Honours & Appointments. Alongside these core policy areas, you will support Civil Service functions such as HR, Finance & Commercial, as they grow their digital capability and iterate their services. The team provides delivery, consultation and assurance services throughout Cabinet Office, working with policy and operational units across the department to deliver broad digital transformation.

You’ll work as part of a small cross-functional agile team, amongst digital and policy experts in the heart of the central government machine in Whitehall. Your contribution will help to deliver digital services across the Cabinet Office and build digital capability.

Closing Date: 19th August 2018 at 23:55 hours

Please contact Romina Ahmad (romina.ahmad@cabinetoffice.gov.uk) for further information. 

Due to the high volume of applications received for Cabinet Office vacancies, we regret that feedback is only available - at the discretion of the vacancy manager - following the interview stage. Vacancy managers may also sift on one lead competency at the application stage.

Terms, Conditions and Benefits

This is a Permanent appointment.

This role is based within the Cabinet Office at Band A - £48,480 - £60,484. Annual salary increases will depend upon individual performance and contribution to the organisation’s success. In addition there will be the opportunity to earn performance related bonuses.

Being mindful of the scrutiny on public sector pay, external candidates should expect their salary on appointment to be £48,480 per annum.

Existing civil servants can take up the post on loan from their parent department for the duration advertised. Those joining on level transfer will retain their current salary. Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Staff joining on promotion will adopt the modernised terms and conditions of employment which came into force in 2013.

There is a choice of excellent pension schemes. More information about pension provisions can be found at www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions  

Flexible Working

Flexible working including job-share arrangements may be considered for this role.

Leave allowances

25 days' paid leave per annum rising to 30 days after five years service. In addition, full-time staff receive eight public holidays and the Queen’s Birthday privilege day as well as competitive maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave.

Probation

Staff new to the Civil Service will be required to serve a six month probationary period.

Location

The post will be based in Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London.

Relocation Costs

No relocation costs will be available.

Equality and Diversity

The Cabinet Office is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff. We will not discriminate on grounds of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, those with caring responsibilities, part time workers or any other factor irrelevant to a person’s work.

We encourage a diverse workforce and aim to provide a working environment where all staff at all levels are valued and respected, and where discrimination, bullying, promotion of negative stereotyping and harassment are not tolerated.

Assessment for recruitment, selection, appraisal, training and career progression purposes is based both on the individual’s ability and suitability for the work. We are committed to providing all staff with opportunities to maximise their skills and achieve their potential, offering flexible working arrangements wherever possible.

As public authorities departments have statutory duties placed on them that require them to promote equality of opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination. We expect all staff to assist the department in meeting these obligations. All staff should have due regard for the need to promote good relations between individuals from different groups and work towards achieving equality of opportunity for all.

Civil Service Code

All civil servants are subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Code (see Annex A) which details Civil Service values, standards of behaviour, rights and responsibilities. Go to http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk for more information.

Childcare

We recognise that many staff balance working lives with the demands of a family life. We offer support with childcare and holiday playschemes costs by providing childcare vouchers for staff who meet the eligibility criteria. Current civil servants applying for Cabinet Office vacancies on or after 06 April 2018 may experience implications in continuing to claim childcare vouchers.

Recruitment and Selection Process

Nationality

You must be a British Citizen, citizen of the British Commonwealth* an EC national or a national of specified Member States of the European Free Trade Area, together with certain members of their families. Certain Turkish nationals are also eligible to apply. In the first instance it is advisable to refer to the Civil Service Nationality Rules which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules  

If you have any further questions about nationality requirements, please contact the Recruitment Team at: corecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. (*Commonwealth citizens not yet in the UK, who have no right of abode in the UK and who do not have leave to enter the UK are ineligible to apply.)

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

The Cabinet Office is committed to the employment and career development of disabled people and will guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Pre-appointment Checks

The successful candidate’s appointment will be subject to a series of checks including security, nationality, health and references before a formal offer of appointment is made. Subject to satisfactory completion of the pre-appointment checks, you will be invited to take up the post as soon as possible. The National Insurance numbers of successful applicants will be shared with the Ministry of Defence to aid the tracking of Armed Forces Reservist levels across government.

The Selection Process

Assessment at sift and interviews will be based on meeting any defined skill/qualification requirements along with a competency based assessment. The competencies to be assessed will be outlined within the job advert. The Civil Service Competency Framework is publically available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework.

We would generally expect answers to follow the STAR or CAR structure and encourage candidates to use this throughout their application.

Application/Interview Scoring System

The Cabinet Office adopts a scoring system of 0-3.

3 - The evidence provided demonstrates that they exceed the level of competence required.

2 - The evidence provided demonstrates that they fully meet the level of competence required.

1 - The evidence provided demonstrates that they generally meet the level of competence required, but with a few minor gaps that could be developed.

0 - The evidence provided fails to demonstrate that they meet the level of competence required for the post.

Recruitment into the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission which has two key functions.

• To maintain the principle of selection for appointment to the Civil Service on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
• To promote an understanding of the Civil Service Code which sets out the constitutional framework in which all civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold, and to hear and determine appeals made under it. More detailed information can be found at on the Civil Service Commission website: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Complaints

The Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment based on merit, open and fair competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, details of which can be found at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk    

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Cabinet Office Recruitment Team, Human Resources, 4th Floor, 1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2WH or email corecruitment@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can further contact the Civil Service Commission at:

Email: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk or in writing to:

Civil Service Commission
Room G/8
1 Horse Guards Road
London SW1A 2HQ