Senior User Researcher

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. 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 Senior User Researcher will be part of our Election’s Digital team. Our services include: Register to vote, Apply for a proxy vote, Apply for a postal vote, and a website to support Electoral Registration Offices in Local Authorities.

In this role you would work to develop and improve our understanding of our users and their needs, assess their user experience and test design ideas and prototypes. You will also work 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. User Researchers are key figures in our team. They help us develop a deep understanding of the people who use our services. Their findings allow our wider team to design and build better services more quickly, and at lower cost and risk.

You’ll work in a multidisciplinary team alongside service designers, interaction designers, content designers, developers, delivery 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 Senior User Researcher, you will:

• lead the planning, design and delivery of user research using different methods from discovery through to live services
• carry out user research activities from recruiting participants, preparing discussion guides, and moderating research sessions
• analyse and synthesise research data to develop findings and insights
• work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and with wider stakeholders to inform decision making
• present clear, actionable findings that colleagues can understand and use
• carry out an inclusive research practices with a focus on accessibility needs
• advocate for the user by sharing research insights on user needs
• line managing and/or mentoring junior researchers

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 a Senior User Researcher, you will have:

• mid to senior-level experience planning, preparing and carrying out user research activities for complex services, with demonstrable experience in qualitative (e.g. usability testing, contextual interviews) and quantitative methods (e.g. surveys, A/B testing)
• proven ability to analyse and synthesise complex research data into clear, actionable findings and insights
• ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams to action user research findings and inform decision making
• track record of sharing research findings widely across organisations to build understanding of users and their needs
• strong understanding of accessibility requirements and inclusive research methods.
• experience recruiting and researching with diverse users, understand how to make research activities accessible and ensure underrepresented voices inform service design
• familiarity with the Government Service Standard or similar frameworks
• experience of managing and mentoring junior user researchers

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,092, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £16,829 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:

Behaviours , 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 covering letter should be no more than 750 words referencing how you meet the criteria set out in JD/person spec. Your CV should be o more than 1000 words.

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

• Behaviours: Changing and Improving, Communicating and Influencing
• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.
• 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 14th June with interview dates to follow, interviews 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.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• 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

• Appeals and Complaints

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office:

London Office: + CTC

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

Security

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

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Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

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

Recruitment team

• Email : digitaldatajobs@communities.gov.uk