Content Designer

Job summary

We are MHCLG

Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people’s lives. Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we’re all part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda. We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you’re thinking of joining us, there’s never been a more exciting time. We have over 3,500 staff who are based in 20 offices across the UK.

The Elections Directorate is responsible for how elections are run and who participates. The Directorate is implementing the government’s elections strategy, including introduction of votes for 16 and 17-year-olds, improvements to voter registration and changes to voter identification.

The Content Designer will be part of the our Election’s Digital team. Our services include:

• Register to vote
• Apply for a proxy vote
• Apply for a postal vote
• A website to support Electoral Registration Offices in Local Authorities

In this role, you would work to develop and improve services using evidence about users and their needs, with a strong focus on those with accessibility needs and low digital confidence. Your work will benefit millions of people who use our services each year.

Content Designers are key figures in our team. They help us make complex information and processes easy to understand and follow. Their skills help our team design services that meet user needs and achieve their intended outcomes.

You’ll be a confident and competent content designer who can develop services based on evidence. You’ll work in a multidisciplinary team alongside service designers, user researchers, interaction designers, developers and product managers to deliver high-quality services that meet user needs and deliver business outcomes.

Find out more about our Digital teams and what they are working on through our MHCLG Digital blog. Please note that MHCLG do not offer visa sponsorship and applicants will need a valid visa for the duration of your employment.

Job description

As a Content Designer, you'll:

• Write clear and easy to understand content in plain English that meets user needs and achieves the right outcomes
• Edit and improve existing content
• Follow the GOV.UK Style Guide, the Service Manual and the GOV.UK Design system
• Have a deep understanding of the content patterns in the different services
• Contribute to the design of inclusive services that meet a range of access needs
• Use research and data to develop, test and iterate multiple design ideas
• Work closely with researchers, designers, and other stakeholders
• Prototype new designs and present them to stakeholders
• Give, receive, and encourage constructive feedback

Person specification

We will use the essential criteria below to evaluate you during the recruitment process. Make sure you CV and Personal Statement details how you meet the criteria.

As an Content Designer, you’ll have experience of:

• Writing clear and easy to understand content in plain English that meets user needs and achieves the right outcomes
• Reviewing, editing and evaluating content
• Follow the GOV.UK Style Guide, Service Manual and Design System
• Using research and data to develop, test and iterate multiple design ideas
• Designing inclusive services that meet a wide range of access needs
• Working closely and negotiating with stakeholders
• Giving, receiving and encouraging constructive feedback

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,004, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £12,747 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Application and Selection

The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Ability , Experience , Technical

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Important: Your CV and Cover Letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.

Stage 1: Sift (CV & Cover Letter)

Experience & Technical: Your Personal Statement should be no more than 500 words referencing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description. Your CV should be no more than 500 words referencing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description. If a particularly high number of applications are received you will be assessed on your CV only.

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

Stage 2: Interview

• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.
• Ability: Candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation at interview.*
• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation, further details will be provided on invitation to interview.*

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 26th May 2026.

Interviews are envisaged to take place the week commencing 15th June 2026 and are currently being held remotely via videocall. This could be subject to change.

How We Recruit

Find out everything you need to know before applying here..

• Applying
• Sifting
• Interview
• Interview Results & Feedback
• Reserve List
• Near Miss
• Civil Service Grades
• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer
• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

What you need to know before applying.

• Security Clearance Requirements
• Civil Service Nationality Requirements
• Right to Work
• Artificial Intelligence
• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles
• CV Declaration
• Sponsorships
• Salary and Grade
• Existing Civil Servants
• Conflict of Interest
• Location and Flexible Working
• Fixed Term Contracts
• Internal Fraud Database - Internal Fraud Register
• Appeals and Complaints
• Conflict of Interest

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office: + SC

London Office: + SC

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Digital Data Jobs
• Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk

Further information

If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application, you should speak to the Resourcing team - Recruitment@communities.gov.uk. Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:
•a procedural irregularity
•an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy
•exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day.
It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the MHCLG Resourcing Hub at Recruitment@communities.gov.uk.
If the MHCLG Resourcing Hub is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by email to: info@csc.gov.uk