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Job summary

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) directorate draws together the expertise in digital within the organisation to design, build and support digital services offered by UK Export Finance. The DDAT directorate has recently published its strategy, outlining the service vision, principles, and culture required to move the organisation forward.

The DDAT Group is headed up by a Director and supported by three Deputy Directors covering the responsibilities of:

• Chief Digital Officer (Digital Services / Data and Analytics / User-centred Design)
• Chief Technology Officer (Engineering / Technology)
• Head of Transformation (PMO / Governance)

The DDAT group plays a central role in how UKEF runs its business and engages with its customers. The team has fostered a fast-pasted environment, focusing on delivering user-centred products and services for UKEF’s internal and external users. The fully agile teams are closely aligned to the Government Service Standard and Technology Code of Practice and play a pivotal role in the delivery of UKEF’s mission and objectives.

Job description

UKEF is committed to be a more user-centred organisation, making it easier for customers to deal with us, offering improved response times, quicker decision-making and improved case-processing. To enable this, UKEF is committed to using digital as a primary means for managing relationships with a wider range of stakeholders. Focusing on developing services to meet user need and enable business outcomes, this is an exciting role showing the growth and drive of UKEFs digital ambition.

This role will undertake user research for projects and service across UKEF, researching with internal and external users, and working with the team to design digital products and services to meet user needs and business goals.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the planning, design and delivery of user research using a range of methods from discovery through to live.
• Document and analyse user research findings and present back to the team and stakeholders.
• Recruit a diverse range of participants to ensure research is inclusive, accessible and meets Government standards.
• Maintaining research outputs so that everything is traceable and shareable.
• Choose appropriate ways to engage teams in research and foster a culture of collaboration. Work closely with the team to turn findings into actions that lead to valuable improvements to our services.
• Represent user research for UKEF at cross-government and internal assessments against the Service Standard.
• Communicate user research findings to the wider organisation to build a strong and empathetic understanding of UKEF users.
• Contribute to UKEFs user centred design community.
• Contribute to the service design, user experience and user research community across Government, promoting knowledge sharing and adoption of good practice.

This list is not exhaustive, and you may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs.

Person specification

Essential

Qualifications

• N/A

Knowledge

• User focus. You know how to give direction on which tools or methods to use. You are experienced in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels. You can bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure these are met by the business. You know how to apply strategic thinking in how to provide the best service for the end user. (Skill level: working) (A)
• Analysis and synthesis. You understand how to apply techniques for the analysis of research data and synthesis of findings. You know how to involve your team in analysis and synthesis. You can present clear findings that colleagues can understand and use. (Skill level: working) (A,I)
• Inclusive research. You understand the diversity of users of government services and the need to make services usable and accessible for everyone. You can work with colleagues to include many kinds of users in appropriate research activities. (Skill level: working) (I)

Skills/Ability

• Research skills. You understand and have experience of a broad range of user research methods. You know when to use those methods and how to apply them correctly. You know how to involve your team in research activities. (Skill level: working) (A)
• Strategic insight. You understand what problem the team is trying to solve. You can align user research activities to inform decision making and action. (Skill level: working) (P)
• User-centred and agile practices. You understand and have experience of a range of user-centred practices. You know how to work with colleagues to plan and do continuous user research in a multidisciplinary team. (Skill level: working) (A,I,P)

Experience

• Digital perspective. You have the ability to apply a digital understanding to your work, considering assisted digital and access needs are met. (Skill level: working) (A)
• Community collaboration. You know how to work collaboratively within a group, actively networking with others and varying feedback for the appropriate time to ensure the discussion sticks. (Skill level: working) (A,I)
• Experience of encouraging and coaching individuals and running User Research workshops/training to facilitate learning. (Skill level: working) (I)
• Experience of working within constraints. You can work with and challenge senior stakeholders. You know how to prioritise and mitigate constraints and can turn them into an advantage. You can adapt the approach depending on the constraints (A,I)

This post is in line with the Government and Digital Profession Capability Framework and specifically the skills, knowledge and experience associated with a User Researcher

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Presentation - a 10-minute presentation (this will be on a topic determined by UKEF and will need to be prepared in advance)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £48,750, UK Export Finance contributes £14,122 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Please ensure that you read through the Candidate Information Pack attached to this advert, before applying.

All applications will be sifted against our essential criteria outlined in the personal specification.

• Statement of suitability - you should fully articulate in 750 words how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification within the Information Pack.

For the initial sift your application will be evaluated against:

1. Experience - CV / Application and Statement of Suitability

In the event of a high volume of applications, an initial sift will be carried on the following essential criteria listed in the person specification:

• Analysis and synthesis. You understand how to apply techniques for the analysis of research data and synthesis of findings. You know how to involve your team in analysis and synthesis. You can present clear findings that colleagues can understand and use. (Skill level: working) (A,I)
• User-centred and agile practices. You understand and have experience of a range of user-centred practices. You know how to work with colleagues to plan and do continuous user research in a multidisciplinary team. (Skill level: working) (A,I,P)
• Community collaboration. You know how to work collaboratively within a group, actively networking with others and varying feedback for the appropriate time to ensure the discussion sticks. (Skill level: working) (A,I)

If you are successful following the sift stage, you will be invited to a panel interview, to be held onsite at 1 Horse Guards Road or via MS Teams; this will include the following assessment:

1. Behaviours/Experience - a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all four behaviours highlighted in Appendix 1.
2. Technical - you will be assessed across your technical expertise and acumen, in relation to the essential criteria
   1. Presentation - a 10-minute presentation (this will be on a topic determined by UKEF and will need to be prepared in advance)

Details of interview panel members will be e-mailed to all successful candidates who are invited for interview.

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 : UKEF Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk

Further information

Should you have a complaint or wish to raise any concerns regarding the recruitment process, please e-mail your complaint to the Head of Pay and Resourcing (UKEF) at Recruitment2@ukexportfinance.gov.uk and include “Complaint” in the subject heading. Should you remain dissatisfied following UKEF’s investigation then you can refer your complaint to the Commission - http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/making-complaint.

Attachments

UKEF Information Pack - User Researcher (SEO) - Jul 27 Opens in new window (pdf, 4310kB)