69561 - Senior Service Designer

The national salary range is £51,767 - £59,590, London salary range is £55,720 - £64,135. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
1
12 Months
National
National
NATIONAL
Please note: Some of our MoJ Office locations, such as our Liverpool Justice Collaboration Centre, require higher levels of National Security Vetting. The MoJ is working to open more Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices over time. Click here to learn more about where our currently open Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices are, to identify where you may be based and understand National Security Vetting requirements of each location.
Grade 7
Grade 7
Fixed Term
Up to 31st March 2024
Full Time
Customer Insight, Strategy, Analytical, Digital

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Directorate: Strategy & Change Directorate

Workstream: User Experience and Insight Team

Job Title: Senior Service Designer

Location: National (with regular travel to London and operational sites as required by business)

Duration: Fixed Term Contract until 31st December 2023

Pay Span or equivalent: Grade 7

London (within M25): £55,720 - £64,135

National: £51,767 - £59,590

This role qualifies for a DDaT (Digital, Data and Technology) skills-based salary supplement which is applied after assessment. 

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ (Ministry of Justice) are expected to join at the band minimum. This position is available for external applicants as well as existing civil servants on level transfer or promotion. Secondments and loans will be considered on an individual basis.

Background

It is an extremely exciting time here at HM Courts and Tribunals Service. We have been undertaking a change programme aimed at delivering pioneering judicial services that better serve the public.

As part of the Strategy and Change Directorate, you will be at the forefront of facilitating and implementing change in our world-leading justice system. As services are reformed, you’ll be part of their transition into Digital and Technology Services, supporting service owners to continuously improve our services based on research, insight and best practice. It’s an exciting opportunity to influence ways of working from a design perspective.

Can you deliver in a fast-paced environment that is changing constantly? Do you have broad relevant experience of user-centred design, using user research and insight to shape the way people interact with services? Can you help develop others to do the same? If so, please read on and apply. We’re particularly keen to hear from people in under-represented groups.

This Programme is one of the largest across Government and you will gain a deep understanding of how a large complex portfolio operates as well as develop a broad range of effective business skills. Your development will be supported throughout with coaching and mentoring from senior professionals across the Directorate, and you also can attain relevant professional qualifications/certifications. 

About the team

The User Experience and Insight team at HMCTS (His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service) is redesigning and rebuilding our Courts and Tribunal services around the needs of our users - ensuring our services are accessible, easy to use, digital (where necessary and appropriate) and well supported for all users.

We are a portfolio function and provide expertise in a range of areas, including user research to understand our users’ functional and emotional needs, segmenting and assessing populations to support our accessibility work, designing, prototyping, piloting new services, and optimising the user experience across all channels. Support ranges from programme level research/analysis, embedding designers, researchers and analysts in projects, providing consultancy and advice, to designing tools and frameworks.

Within User Experience and Insight, the User-Centred Design team works with HMCTS projects and programmes to support our core design principle of being user-led in everything we do. As designers, we work closely with researchers, analysts and frontline staff to understand pain points for our internal and external users, then design, test and iterate consistent ways to fix these issues.

The role

We’re looking for a Senior Service Designer who is passionate about designing digital services that are simple enough for everyone to use. You’ll play a key role in building our capability to design and continuously iterate world-class, user-centred, inclusive services for internal and external users.

This role will involve leading on the service design for a jurisdiction, such as Family or Tribunals, while also delivering service design work in teams depending on the highest priority in the jurisdiction. 

You’ll be comfortable working autonomously to help key stakeholders such as judges, operational leaders, service managers and programme directors understand the importance and value of a user-centred approach to designing court and tribunals services.

An expert in evidence- and context-based design, you’ll use insights from research to find, test and refine the best solutions to meet user and business needs across whole user journeys. An advocate for a user-centred approach, you’ll give direction on tools, teams and methods needed to solve user problems and play an active role supporting others in our growing community of practice.

You’ll coach, mentor, train and develop other designers, supporting the growth and development of the design team and creating the right conditions for supportive communities of practice to grow and thrive. 

An experienced and credible strategic thinker, you’ll lead the design, communication and implementation of service strategies and approaches. As part of this, you’ll evaluate new and existing services against strategies, frameworks, design systems and policies to ensure that user and business requirements are met (and articulate what happens if they aren’t).

Key responsibilities

You’ll work closely with other designers, researchers, analysts and technical experts to help our users complete their goals quickly and easily; minimising support costs (and other failure demand) as well as improving efficiency and reducing the time needed to process applications.

You’ll be expected to:

  • Design services that work for different users across the various channels we offer for court and tribunals service journeys, developing service journey maps, service blueprints and high-level prototypes
  • Work with judges, operational leaders, technical teams and other key stakeholders to facilitate the co-design process; developing a deep understanding of their needs, managing expectations and agreeing service propositions
  • Work as an embedded team member within agile delivery teams, helping manage and visualise outcomes, prioritise work and develop service roadmaps from minimum viable products to full live services
  • Be an active member of HMCTS’ user-centred design community, collaborating with others and using your experience and specialist knowledge to coach and mentor others
  • Support and manage other designers, assuring quality work and behaviours and helping them develop experience through personal development plans and opportunities to rotate between teams
  • Actively participate in user research, helping translate research findings into actionable insight to inform service development

Location of post

The post-holder can be based in London or at any of our HMCTS sites. If you are London-based, you will be expected to work in the offices at 102 Petty France two days per week. If you are Nationally based, you will be expected to travel to the offices at 102 Petty France at least twice a month, coinciding with the in-person community events scheduled.

Travel to other HMCTS sites may also be required as part of these working arrangements. In line with the department’s policies, travel and subsistence and, where appropriate, overnight accommodation will be available in line with organisational policies.

Essential criteria

We are looking for a senior service designer with a track record of:

  • designing systems for use across multiple complex services based on user needs and can identify the simplest of a variety of approaches
  • interpreting the needs of technical and business stakeholders, managing stakeholder expectations and hosting difficult discussions in the team and with senior stakeholders to influence progress.
  • making decisions characterised by medium levels of risk and complexity and recommending decisions as risk and complexity increase, building consensus between services or independent stakeholders.
  • bringing people together to form a motivated team and help create the right environment for a team to work in, mentoring and developing the team as needed.
  • leading the design and implementation of strategy, directing the evaluation of strategies and policies to ensure business requirements are being met. (Skill level: expert)
  • identifying, communicating and working within constraints, challenging the validity of constraints when appropriate and ensuring standards are being met.

Application process

To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you submit the following two application documents:

  1. An up-to-date copy of your CV (Curriculum Vitae) which details your experience and achievements and contains a link to a portfolio of your previous work.
  2. A 500-word statement of suitability which demonstrates your suitability against the Key Responsibilities and Essential Skills, Knowledge & Criteria outlined above.

If selected for interview, please note that these may be held via video conferencing. At interview, you'll be asked to present 2 examples from your portfolio, focusing on your approach and methods.

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

The MoJ (Ministry of Justice) is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

This role qualifies for a DDaT (Digital, Data and Technology) skills-based salary supplement which is applied after assessment.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Expected W/C 6/2/23

30/01/2023, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference - 69561.

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

  • You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
  • You were studying abroad
  • You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.


Application form stage assessments

Experience
CV
Statement of Suitability - 500 word limit

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Technical Skills
Present 2 examples from your portfolio.
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.