Senior Content Designer

Job summary

We’re looking for a Senior Content Designer who want to make a lasting impact on how the Home Office delivers user-centred products and services.

You’ll work in an agile, multi-disciplinary team in some of the most exciting and impactful services that government delivers for the public, as well as internal systems for more than 35,000 staff across the department.

Some of the projects you could work on include:

• designing our ongoing work to digitise the entire visa application process and integrating a series of separate products into a more cohesive user experience;
• improving the technology systems for Border Force officers to reduce rework and improve their experience;
• creating user-centred asylum application systems to make applying simpler for applicants.

You can learn more about design and research in the Home Office on our blog:

• How we collaborated across government to design content supporting Afghan resettlement
• https://hodigital.blog.gov.uk/2018/12/20/content-is-crucial-but-the-right-design-is-essential/A product-centric approach to the EU Settlement Scheme;
• How inclusive services help us to deliver effectively;
• and by looking at our design system

Job description

As a Senior Content Designer, you’ll be able to:

• make complex language and processes simple to understand
• make the case for user-led design
• explain your decisions clearly

You’ll work closely, and build relationships, with our internal communications teams, content designers working on GOV.UK and online services, DDaT technical teams, Home Office operational staff and policy officials.

We’re looking for people who are collaborative, inclusive, open to their work being critiqued and who are empathetic towards their colleagues and users. A healthy balance of determinism and pragmatism will be needed on our complex services and products.

If you want to join us in keeping the UK safe and secure and ensuring that our services for migrants and asylum seekers are easier and simpler to use, apply now.

Person specification

Responsibilities

Your main day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• scoping, writing and editing content for complex internal and public-facing services
• working as part of a multidisciplinary team to identify user needs, write and map user stories, design content plans, and agree the right design approach
• identifying and engaging with stakeholders to clarify objectives, constraints and commitments, while focusing on user needs
• working with subject matter experts to make sure content is relevant and accurate
• monitoring the performance of content and tools, identifying ways to improve the service
• line managing, training and mentoring other Content Designers, providing them with guidance, support and constructive feedback

Essential Skills

You’ll have a demonstrable passion for user-centred design, with the following skills or some experience in:

• scoping, writing, editing and managing user-centred content to make sure it’s accurate, timely, relevant, accessible and written to style
• using analytics, user research and feedback to identify user needs and inform content decisions
• convincing stakeholders and team members about the benefits of adopting an accessible, user-centred design approach
• working autonomously while managing tight deadlines under pressure
• managing and mentoring team members, providing them with guidance, training and constructive feedback

Desirable Skills

Ideally, you will also have the following skills or some experience in:

• creating and using prototypes to share and test design proposals
• working collaboratively in an agile environment with people from other professions
• sharing your knowledge and opinions with people outside your team, for example, through blogging, workshops or conferences

Our skills align with the cross gov DDaT Capability Framework - Digital, Data and Technology Profession Capability Framework - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Candidates reaching the required standard and attending the final interview, will be assessed using technical and experience-based questions. Technical level definitions can be found via www.gov.uk/guidance/content-designer

Technical skills

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

• User focus (Skill level: practitioner)
• User-centred content design. (Skill level: practitioner)
• Stakeholder relationship management. (Skill level: practitioner)