Service Design Lead - £42,410 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Service Design Lead to join our Digital and Service Design Function within the Digital and Technology group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a fixed term contract basis until 31st March 2027. The role will be based in 7-8 Wellington Place, Leeds.

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly. Remote working is potentially available for some specific roles. Please discuss this with the recruiting manager before accepting an appointment.

A Digital Allowance of up to £12,823 per annum may be available for exceptional candidates based on our assessment of your skills and experience. This allowance is non-pensionable and may change on an annual basis.

Job description

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The Digital and Technology Group (DTG) lies at the heart of the Agency and is responsible for delivering an optimised IT infrastructure and maximising the secure use of data to enable our scientists, inspectors, and the rest of the organisation to deliver world-class services which can improve outcomes for patients and the general public. Its centre of excellence is also responsible for delivering a broad portfolio of change initiatives, both to transform the Agency’s legacy technologies and to deliver innovative new solutions. The Group was essential in the race to approve COVID-19 vaccines in 2020 and in supporting the UK to set up its own medicines and devices approvals systems following our exit from the EU.

Within Digital and Technology Group, the Digital and Service Design Group (D&SDG) provides several services through its practice-based model including user-research, design, business analysis, change management and product management. D&SDG owns the customer experience for the division and is currently building its in-house capabilities around Digital Product Management and User Centred Design.

What’s the role?

We’re looking for an experienced Service Designer, you will be comfortable coordinating customers, colleagues and stakeholders, work hands-on with research and data to deliver insights; and create artefacts that help the Agency deliver great services and business benefits.

The post holder will be in a customer-facing role, liaising with a wide range of stakeholders including product owners in the business and senior stakeholders, at all times adhering to our group’s behaviours of being connected to each other, helping our customers succeed and being data-driven in all we do.

Key responsibilities:

• Design in a user-centred way, understand the MHRA’s internal and external customers, what their needs are and take these into account when designing services.

• Design collaboratively and in the open, engaging stakeholders in the design process in a variety of ways, including workshops, design sprints and other co-design methods.

• Analyse failure within services and identify root causes; find opportunities to reduce complexity and cost.

• Visualise and map services, sketch and prototype ideas, explaining design ideas and concepts in a way that other people understand.

• Educate colleagues in user-centred design and service design when necessary, demonstrating its value through work delivered.

Who are we looking for?

Our successful candidate will have:

• A degree or equivalent professional experience

• Previous experience working in service design

• Good experience working in teams designing and developing digital services and frameworks, within an agile delivery framework

• Experience of explaining design ideas and concepts in a way that other people understand, including visualizing, sketching and prototyping

• Experience designing and facilitating workshops

Person specification

Method of assessment: A=Application, I=Interview, P=Presentation

Behaviour Criteria:

• Seeing the Big Picture (I, P)

• Communicating and Influencing (I, P)

• Delivering at Pace (I, P)

Experience Criteria:

• Previous experience working as part of user-centered design team or as a service designer (A, I, P)

• Experience of making effective decisions using user research and data, in order to improve a service, reduce complexity and generate new ideas (A, I, P)

• Experience of explaining design ideas and concepts in a way that other people understand, including visualizing, sketching and prototyping (A, I, P)

• Experience developing key service design artifacts such as service blueprints (A, I, P)

• Experience designing and facilitating workshops (I, P)

Technical Criteria:

• A degree or equivalent professional experience (A, I)

• Previous experience working in service design (A, I)

• Good experience working in teams designing and developing digital services and frameworks, within an agile delivery framework (I)

Strengths Criteria

• Service Focussed (I)

• Challenger (I)

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please read our Job Description and Person Specification!

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Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,410, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £12,286 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months full pay/five months half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Motoring Association (CSMA)
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

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

The selection process:

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here.

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application.

• Online application form, including a statement of suitability, of no more than 750words demonstrating how you meet the person specification. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application. Please ensure not to include any personal identifying information on your supporting information.

• Presentation, to be prepared as part of your interview, with further information being supplied when you reach this stage.

• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria of Experience of making effective decisions using user research and data, in order to improve a service, reduce complexity and generate new ideas.

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Closing date: 4th February

Shortlisting date: from 6th February

Interview date: from 18th February

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens

• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings

• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required

• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (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. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is 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.

Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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

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 : The Resourcing Team
• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.uk

Further information

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a 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 the Resourcing Team at Careers@mhra.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk - info@csc.gov.uk - Civil Service Commission Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ