32186 - Content Designer

Background

Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunals Service is an agency of the MoJ and provides the supporting administration for the judiciary across England and Wales.  It delivers services to the public directly in court and tribunal buildings, remotely via business centres and some limited services via the internet.

The Reform Programme is a once in a generation opportunity to transform the entire HM Courts and Tribunals Service, enhancing the provision of a world-class justice system, in a manner that provides an improved user experience at reduced cost to the taxpayer. This will contribute to consolidating the UK’s position at the forefront of an increasingly competitive international legal market as well as ensuring access to justice for all.

Vacancies within the Reform Programme offer a unique chance to be at the forefront of leading and implementing significant change projects across the organisation.  The Programme is ambitious and innovative and will need a flexible workforce to deliver it. Those leading the change will experience new and exciting opportunities and will benefit from playing a part in a number of different initiatives throughout the four year programme.  Staff within the Reform Programme will need to display a commitment to three key principles: Continuous change, managing uncertainty and designing services around the needs of the users. All those appointed to these new roles must be wholeheartedly committed to these principles and evidence this in their application.

Overview

We are redesigning and rebuilding our courts and tribunal services around the needs of our users, ensuring our services are accessible, easy to use, digital by design and default, and well supported for all users. We are recruiting for an experience content designer, with a passion for designing open and accessible services for a broad range of users, to join our team.

The User Experience team is a cross cutting and enabling team for the Reform Programme. It will provide the approach, tools and support to the Reform programme to ensure it maintains the fundamental design principles of being user led, adopts agile ways of working and continuous improvement in the delivery of transformed HMCTS services.

The Content Designer will support individual project teams on drafting accessible content for multiple channels, guide materials, social media and any other electronic content. The Content Designer will provide specific input to designing the website structure and develop and maintain a close working relationship with the project team content designers.

You will have excellent written communication skills and demonstrable experience of having worked on change programmes that were driven by user needs. You will be a specialist in either marketing and/or communications. You will have strategic and tactical skills and be as good at setting direction as making it happen. Skilled at developing website structure and web writing. Also in creating digital and print content that adds value, engages users and drives website traffic.

You will have experience of training and coaching teams to develop high quality communications for internal and customer-facing audiences, and creating and implementing strategies to present them across all channels. You will be adept in building relationships with senior stakeholders and proven presentation skills.

The key purpose of the role is to

• Work in conjunction with Service Project Teams to draft accessible content for multiple channels, including website, guide material, social media and any other electronic content; and
• Manage and support prioritisation of the Customer Directorate content backlog;
• Training/coaching on plain English and commission and carry out research on new content;
• Determine the information needs of the users of HMCTS services.
• Develop website structure and work closely with HMCTS Communications team to produce high quality content.

Key responsibilities

User led content & accessible design

• Know how and when to challenge content that doesn't meet user needs;
• Experience of having worked on change programmes that were driven by user need;
• Understand what we mean by 'digital inclusion' and 'assisted digital' and how we support universal access to digital services in the future;
• Be familiar with how to determine user needs and translate that into accessible content;
• Have a strong understanding of how the design process informs the drafting of content for real user needs;
• Understand the 'Digital by Default' Service Standard and how it acts as a benchmark for the quality of government services;
• Support development teams to draft copy and guidance in an iterative way and consistent with the ‘plain-English’ approach;
• Consider accessibility from the outset, as accessibility improves the experience for all users.

Assessments

• Be familiar with guidance around ‘plain English’ in Government;
• Be familiar with and have experience of GDS Service Assessments.

Stakeholder relations

• Develop strong collaborative relationship with the Reform Programme Communications team;
• Lead on internal communications for the User Experience Team;
• Manage the effective delivery of the project stakeholder and communication plans.

Representation of the Department

• Represent the Department with stakeholders on matters relating to the User Experience team where needed.
• Manage specific negotiations with supploers, partners and other agencies.

Specialisms

• Skilled at developing website structure and web writing;
• Demonstrable experience of creating digital and print content that adds value, engages users and drives website traffic;
• Excellent training/coaching skills and an ability to strategise and plan a training programme;
• Specialist in marketing and/or communications and have worked on a comprehensive change programme.

Accountability

• Report to Head of User Research

Other duties

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Person specification

• It is essential that the candidate has the following skills and experience:

-    You will have excellent writing skills, with experience of translating complex technical information into accessible content;

-    Demonstrable experience of having worked on change programmes that were driven by user needs.

-    A specialist in either marketing and/or communications;

-    Experience of developing website structure and web writing;

-    Experience of creating digital and print content that adds value, engages users and drives website traffic;

-    Experience of training and coaching teams to develop high quality communications for internal and customer-facing audiences;

-    Experience of creating and implementing strategies to present them across all channels;

-    Strong abilities to build relationships with senior stakeholders and proven presentation skills.

• It would be desirable if the candidate could demonstrate:

-    Worked within an Agile software development project/programme;

-    Working with innovative digital services;

-    Experience of defining or delivering services for the Digitally Excluded.

Key Civil Service Behaviours                     

You will be required to provide evidence of the following key behaviours.

Changing & Improving

• Find ways to improve systems and structures to deliver with more streamlined resources
• Regularly review procedures or systems with teams to identify improvements and simplify processes and decision making
• Be prepared to take managed risks, ensuring these are planned and their impact assessed
• Actively encourage ideas from a wide range of sources and stakeholders and use these to inform own thinking
• Be willing to meet the challenges of difficult or complex changes, encouraging and supporting others to do the same
• Prepare for and respond appropriately to the range of possible effects that change may have on own role/team

Communicating and Influencing

• Take opportunities to regularly communicate and interact with staff, helping to clarify goals and activities and the links between these and Departmental strategy
• Recognise, respect and reward the contribution and achievements of others
• Communicate in a succinct, engaging manner and stand ground when needed
• Communicate using appropriate styles, methods and timing, including digital channels, to maximise understanding and impact
• Promote the work of the Department and play an active part in supporting the Civil Service values and culture
• Convey enthusiasm and energy about their work and encourage others to do the same

Managing a Quality Service

• Make effective use of project management skills and techniques to deliver outcomes, including identifying risks and mitigating actions;
• Develop, implement, maintain and review systems and service standards to ensure professional excellence and expertise and value for money;
• Work with team to set priorities, goals, objectives and timescales;
• Establish mechanisms to seek out and respond to feedback from customers about service provided;
• Promote a culture that tackles fraud and deception and ensures security of information;
• Develop proposals to improve the quality of service with involvement from a diverse range of staff, stakeholders or delivery partners.

Delivering at Pace

• Successfully manage, support and stretch self and team to deliver agreed goals and objectives.
• Show a positive approach in keeping their own and the team’s efforts focused on the goals that really matter
• Take responsibility for delivering expected outcomes on time and to standard, giving credit to teams and individuals as appropriate
• Plan ahead but reassess workloads and priorities if situations change or people are facing conflicting demands
• Regularly monitor own and team’s work against milestones or targets and act promptly to keep work on track and maintain performance
• Coach and support others to set and achieve challenging goals for themselves

Location of Post

Please see recruitment details, Frequent travel to London will be required as part of these working arrangements.

Flexible working options

HMCTS offers a flexible working system in many of its offices.

Job sharing and reduced hours

All applications for job sharing or reduced hours will be treated fairly and on a case by case basis in accordance with the MoJ’s flexible working policy and equality policy.

Excess Fares and Relocation Allowances

This job is not eligible for relocation allowances but excess fares may be considered in accordance with MoJs excess fares allowance policy.