Content Designer

Job summary

Are you highly skilled in writing clear, concise content for online audiences?

We’re looking for someone to write content for our digital services, using plain English to make complex processes and information easy to understand. The role involves creating and improving content across the end-to-end journey of a service, to help create a seamless and consistent experience for our users.

Content designers use straightforward language and design to help people get the information they need, in the way they need it. They make sure it’s easy to find, use and understand. They use research and data to make the right content decisions, and make sure content is accessible and consistent with Companies House and GOV.UK standards.

Watch this video to find out more about working in Digital at Companies House

Why choose Companies House?

At Companies House we take a proactive approach to wellbeing by promoting a welcoming culture, healthy work life balance and supporting colleagues to be their best in work because we know people are the key to our success.

Our benefits include:

• Flexible working with no core hours (6am – 8pm flexible options)
• 30 days annual leave
• 8 bank holidays and 1 privilege day
• Enrolment into Civil Service Pension scheme average 28.97%

Find out more about what a great place Companies House is to work

Give yourself the best opportunity to apply!

Join our Outreach team for an informal, drop-in 'find out more' session.

No need to register - just click on the following link to join at the start time, listen, and gain tips to help you apply:

Tuesday 15th September at 12:30

It’s a relaxed session with cameras and microphones switched off.

Can’t make the session? Email our Outreach on: outreachinnovationteam@companieshouse.gov.uk for a copy of the slides.

Please note:

• Companies House cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.
• You will be based at either our Cardiff or Edinburgh office where you will be expected to attend on a regular basis.
• This role is offered on a full-time basis of 37 hours per week across 5 days. Flexible working options are available, including compressed hours or part-time working for a minimum of 29 hours per week over 4 days.

Job description

As a Content Designer, you will:

• write clear, informative content for our digital services
• collaborate with user researchers to understand user needs, and create content that meets those needs
• iterate content according to user feedback and analytics
• collaborate with interaction designers to design digital services that are as effective and accessible as possible for users
• use the GDS style guide and the GDS Design System to create high-quality content
• build relationships across Companies House to understand business needs and processes
• communicate with stakeholders to present content design solutions and advocate for user needs
• work with the wider project team to ensure that services meet the GDS Service Standard
• be able to accept and act on constructive criticism of your work, and review other people’s work
• make effective decisions and recognise when to ask for further guidance and support
• apply agile methodologies to all aspects of your work
• work on a range of prototypes, including HTML (training will be provided if needed)

About the team:

It's an exciting time to join Companies House as we deliver digital transformation and legislative reform. The services we design are used by millions of people and are critical for the UK economy. As an organisation we are committed to making them as user friendly and inclusive as possible. You’ll be part of a passionate, supportive and well-established user-centred design team that includes interaction designers, content designers, user researchers and service designers.

Person specification

We’re looking for a skilled writer who:

• has experience of writing high-quality online content
• has proven experience of writing in plain English, with excellent spelling and grammar
• can demonstrate an understanding of user needs
• can use research and data to write effective content that meets user needs
• can communicate with the relevant people to gather information
• can present their ideas to stakeholders
• can work to tight deadlines and manage their workload across several projects
• can act on constructive criticism of your work, and review other people’s work
• is aware of the importance of ensuring services are accessible to all
• can understand and use house styles and standards

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,952, Companies House contributes £10,415 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We believe that our success is driven by the well-being and satisfaction of our team members at all levels of the organisation. At Companies House we’re committed to providing a comprehensive benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary, ensuring your career journey with us is not only fulfilling, but also rewarding. We pride ourselves on offering a quality work-life balance with our employee wellbeing being central to our working practices.

Head to Our benefits - Working for us - Recruitment (companieshouse.gov.uk) to find out more about the fantastic benefits package we have at Companies House.

We celebrate diversity...

As an equal opportunity employer, we celebrate diversity, being committed to ensuring we’re representative of the citizens we serve and creating an inclusive environment. Everyone in Companies House brings something different, and so will you. To fulfil our commitment to recruiting and attracting diverse talent we welcome applications from underrepresented groups. We also welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

We are proud to be a disability confident leader. Our recruitment process is fully inclusive and we can make adjustments as needed through our process. These could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments and receiving interview questions in advance, to name a few.

If you require any reasonable adjustments at application stage, or if you'd like to discuss any person-centred adjustments, please contact us by emailing recruitmentCH@companieshouse.gov.uk.

Read our 'Applying under the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS)' guide to find out how to successfully complete an application under the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS).

Where will you be working?

You will be based at either our Cardiff or Edinburgh office and will be expected to attend your chosen location on a regular basis. As part of the application process, you will be asked to select your preferred location from those advertised. Any offer made will be for that specific office. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

We are currently using a hybrid approach to the way we work which provides opportunities for you to be adaptable in the way you work so that you can achieve a healthy balance between your work and home life. The degree of choice you have will depend on your role and your day-to-day work activities. Your manager will agree regular patterns of attendance with you, however you may be required to make yourself available to attend the office more frequently when required to meet business needs.

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

What will the process look like?

Key Dates (dates are indicative only and could be subject to change)

• Closing date: 27th September at 23:55pm
• Webinar: 15th September at 12.30pm
• Sifting: w/c 28th September 2026
• Assessment: w/c 12th October 2026
• Interview: w/c 21st October 2026 onwards

Stage 1 – Sift

An initial sift of applications will be carried out to create a shortlist. This will be based on the evidence provided for the following Success Profile elements: Experience.

In your application form we’d like you to:

Write a CV: tell us about your employment history, including key responsibilities and achievements.

Write a Personal Statement of 750 words: tell us, using examples, how you meet the following criteria:

• has experience of writing high-quality online content
• has proven experience of writing in plain English, with excellent spelling and grammar
• can demonstrate an understanding of user needs

We'd encourage you to use the full word count, and to give us clear examples and evidence of the different elements of the essential minimum criteria.

We’re committed to being diverse and inclusive, so please make your application anonymous by removing all identifying personal information (such as your name and age) from your personal statement.

Please note: In the case of a large number of applications, before conducting a full sift as described above, the panel may conduct a pre-sift assessing all applications against the following Success Profiles Experience criterion: has experience of writing high-quality online content.

Once the advert has closed, we will sift applications - this involves reading through them all, please bear with us as this can take some time.

We may raise the score required if we receive a high number of applications.

At sift we may choose to take through the highest performing candidates to the next stage. If, after the final stage is completed and roles are unfilled, we will proceed to invite lower scoring candidates to interview.

Stage 2 - Assessment (will appear as 'Interview 1' on the Civil Service Jobs Portal)

Successful candidates at the sift stage will be invited to complete an online assessment activity. This will assess the following Success Profiles Experience criternion:proven experience of writing in plain English, with excellent spelling and grammar.

Further details will be provided to candidates who are invited to this stage.

Stage 3 - Interview (will appear as 'Interview 2' on the Civil Service Jobs Portal)

Companies House uses a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you. We use the Success Profile framework and at interview we will use Success Profiles assessing the Behaviours and Experience listed in the advert.

Successful candidates from the sift stage will be invited to a virtual interview, which will be conducted using Microsoft Teams.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

All offers will be made in merit order.

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of recruitment based on fair and open competition with decisions made on the basis of merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.

Sponsorship

Companies House cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. Companies House holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship, your application may be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment withdrawn.

Pre-Employment Checking

In line with Government guidance, successfully appointed candidates will need to provide documents for our Right to Work checks.

From June 2026, applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). Your personal details (name, National Insurance number, and date of birth) will be checked against the Civil Service Resourcing Extract 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.

If your details appear on this database, you will not be offered employment unless you can demonstrate exceptional circumstances. Companies House, acting on behalf of the vacancy holder, will inform you if your application is refused for this reason.

Please note: You are not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Teodora Arnold
• Email : tarnold@companieshouse.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitmentch@companieshouse.gov.uk

Further information

We welcome applications in Welsh / Rydym yn croesawi ceisiadau yn y Gymraeg. Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. 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 infopoint@companieshouse.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission .

info@csc.gov.uk

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