Senior Content Designer

Job summary

Important: interviews for this role will be held in person. Further information can be found in the selection process section.

We're looking for a Senior Content Designer who wants to do meaningful work. You’ll help to design services that protect some of the most vulnerable people in the UK.

You'll join the Home Office’s Policing and Public Protection Technology (PPPT) portfolio as our first senior content specialist, embedded in a central user‑centred design (UCD) team that works like an in‑ across public safety and homeland security. Your initial focus will be on modern slavery, working on services that sit at the intersection of safeguarding, serious crime and victim support. While modern slavery work can sometimes overlap with areas such as migration and borders – for example, when a case involves someone who has recently arrived in the UK – this role does not involve migration or borders policy or delivery. Over time, as demand for modern slavery support evolves, you’ll also have opportunities to work on other products and services across the wider PPPT portfolio.

Day-to-day, you'll work directly with the Modern Slavery (MSU), improving how a wide range of people – from emergency service workers and voluntary sector staff to those directly affected – navigate and use critical government services. You'll work with researchers and other designers, challenging assumptions, running workshops, and making complex policy actionable.

This is also a leadership role. You'll line manage and help develop content practice across the portfolio, setting the standard and enabling others to meet it.

Crucially, we need someone who understands complex systems and can think beyond content, someone who can play an active role in shaping the whole design as well as the words. If you want your work to have real impact and help define what good content design looks like, this role is for you.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.

Watch this short video to hear from members of Home Office Digital talking about the projects they work on and their experience of working here: Working for Home Office Digital.

Job description

Your main day-to-day responsibilities will be:

• Scoping, writing and editing content for complex internal and public-facing services including those relating to public safety and security.
• Working as part of a multidisciplinary team to identify user needs, write and map user stories, design content plans, and co-design end-to-end services, ensuring content is considered at every stage of the design process.
• Identifying and engaging with stakeholders to clarify objectives, constraints and commitments, while focusing on user needs.
• Working with subject matter experts in a sensitive policy area, ensuring content is accurate, trauma-informed and operationally appropriate.
• Monitoring the performance of content and tools, identifying ways to improve services.
• Line managing, training and mentoring other content designers, and embedding content design practice where it is new to the portfolio.
• Constructively challenging design decisions that don’t meet user needs.
• Helping other team members understand what content design is, why it’s important and how to work with content designers.

Working pattern

Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. However, compressed hours are available.

Person specification

Essential skills

You will be assessed against the following skills and experience during the selection process:

• Content design: scoping, writing, editing and managing user-centred content to make sure it’s accurate, timely, relevant, accessible and written to style.
• Evidence-based design: using analytics, feedback and research to understand user needs and to inform content decisions.
• Prototyping and concept creation: creating and using prototypes to share and test design proposals.
• Accessibility and inclusion: assessing the accessibility of online content and advising teams how to fix issues so it is inclusive and accessible to all.
• Communicate, persuade and advocate: convincing stakeholders and team members about the benefits of adopting an accessible, UCD approach.
• Managing people and leading: managing and mentoring team members, providing them with guidance, training and constructive feedback.

SFIA capability framework

The essential skills listed above are reflective of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework (based on the industry standard SFIA framework). Use the SFIA Levels of responsibility to understand what would be expected for each technical skills listed below.

Technical skills

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

• Content design – Level 4
• Evidence-based design – Level 4
• Prototyping and concept creation – Level 4
• Accessibility and inclusion – Level 3
• Communicate, persuade and advocate – Level 4
• Managing people and leading – Level 3

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,109, Home Office contributes £17,992 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Why work for us...

Find out more information at: Benefits - Home Office Careers, but some of the primary ones are:

• A Civil Service Pension with employer contribution rates of at least 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service.
• 8 days of public holidays, plus 1 additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.

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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 Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and 1000 word personal statement:

1. CV – include a brief employment history outlining for each role, the organisation, job title, dates in post, and key responsibilities and achievements. Any recent employment gaps should be explained. A second section should set out the skills and experience most relevant to this role, drawing on your career, training, and other relevant activities without repeating the employment history. Focus on the evidence that best demonstrates your capability to meet the role requirements.
2. Personal statement - this should present a clear and coherent narrative explaining why you are applying, what you would bring to the role, and how your experience meets the essential criteria. Use well‑chosen examples to illustrate your impact, drawing on STAR‑style thinking where helpful, but ensure the statement reads as a single, flowing document rather than a set of isolated responses.

To ensure you are assessed on merit alone, we ask you to anonymise your application. This means removing personal identifiers such as your name, age, and place of education. You do not need to remove your employment history, job titles, or any information about your work.

Watch our three short videos on how to apply for our roles: Applying - Home Office Careers.

Problems during the application process

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Sift Stage

The sift will be held on theCV and Personal Statement. Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirements.

In the event of a high number of applications received, an initial sift may be held on the Lead Essential Criteria (Content design) for candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.

Interview Stage

If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to an in-person interview . As part of the interview, you will be given a task and asked to present your thoughts in response. You will then be asked questions that explore your skills and experience

Sift and Interview dates

The sift will commence from 19th May 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place from 15th June 2026.

Candidates who meet the required standard at sift will be invited to an in-person interview, between 9am and 5pm, at one of the following locations:.

15th and 16th June - Vulcan House ,Sheffield S3 8NU
18th and 19th June - 2 Marsham St, London SW1P 4DF

Further information

If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application, please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.

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 circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms directly. If you are doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Reserve List

A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Reserve lists may be held for each location. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location where this applies.

Similar Roles

Job offers to this post are made based on merit. We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same competencies and essential skills.

UK residency and security requirements

For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers.

Please note that this role requires Security Check (SC) clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years.

However, in exceptional circumstances security clearance applications for candidates who have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years may be considered. Failure to meet this residency requirement will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page Demystifying Vetting - GOV.UK.

Visa Sponsorship

We are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas as we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License.

Capability allowance

This role has access to a Digital Capability-Based Allowance – Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA). Applicants who are successful at interview will be invited to complete a Capability and Skills Assessment post-interview. Any allowance awarded will be based on the assessment of your capability against the six skills advertised for this role. Please see the Home Office Digital Recruitment and Retention Allowance Careers page for more information.

The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time.​

For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance. The pay ranges for this role are National: £ 62,109 - £68,320 and London: £66,229 - £72,852. New entrants to the Civil Service will start on the pay range minimum. For existing civil servants, our policies on level transfer and promotion will apply.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 are deaf, a language service professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : AC Recruitment
• Email : ACRecruitment@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

Candidate Information v17 April 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 207kB)2025-11-01 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 642kB)HO Government Digital and Data Skills Library V1.2 Opens in new window (pdf, 400kB)