18973 - Senior User Researcher
Location: London
It is an extremely exciting time here at HM Courts and Tribunals Service! We are currently undertaking a first-of-its-kind Change Programme aimed at delivering pioneering judicial services that better serve the public, and with over £1 Billion of funding this is the most ambitious programme of its kind anywhere in the world.
As part of the Change Directorate you will be at the forefront of creating and implementing change in our world-leading justice system. The Programme is ambitious and we need resilient, resourceful and adaptable people to make it happen.
Senior User Researcher, Insight and User Research Division
The Change Directorate is redesigning and rebuilding our courts and tribunal services around the needs of our users. These reforms cover: the physical location and environment of courts, telephony based services and a full range of digital services including establishing new virtual case hearings.
The User Research team’s current focus is producing, through primary research, actionable insights that inform – and then validate – the organisation’s user experience design. The team also helps maintain fundamental design principles of being user led, and adopts agile ways of working and continuous improvement in the delivery of transformed HMCTS services and products.
The team is made up of user researchers with a passion for driving the design and development of user experiences that fulfil HMCTS’s goal of being user-focused and evidence driven. Your research will touch on the lives of every type of citizen as well as a range of other users such as legal professionals and judges.
Key Responsibilities:
You will be responsible for developing and overseeing the effective use of user research to inform the delivery of the Change Directorate.
- Demonstrating strong empathy for the user needs of both service recipients (e.g. citizens) and other service actors (e.g. internal staff)
- Understand and advocate for the use of multiple user research methods by service delivery teams
- Support the user research process, choice of tools, and user research partners across a service delivery programme
- Oversee the execution of user research across the Change Directorate delivery programme
- Taking responsibility for regularly collating user research outputs from all service delivery teams and present to senior management
- Mentor and support user researchers at HMCTS and gather evidence of good user research practice
- Work with the customer engagement team to ensure that continuous monitoring of user feedback is in place once a service is live
- Provide actionable recommendations for continuous improvement in the practice and deployment of user research across a service delivery programme
- Identify key stakeholders and their requirements and ensure where appropriate their needs are incorporated through engagement and discussion
- Develop and maintain constructive relations with all programme and project stakeholders. This will include: staff and managers as customers, external suppliers, judiciary, other government departments
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.
Key Requirements:
Essential Skills & Experience:
- 3+ years conducting user research
- Degree in a relevant subject such as Social Sciences, Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Psychology, Anthropology, related fields
- In-depth understanding of user-centred design principles and tools
- Experience of delivering public-facing user research
- Experience of using the appropriate research methods to generate specific insights into user behaviour and needs
- Experience of facilitating and communicating with senior stakeholders, including Ministers, senior management teams and the public
- Experience of managing project or programme deliverables within budget
Desirable Skills & Experience:
- 5+ years conducting user experience research is preferred - demonstrated expertise in a relevant field
- Experience of defining or delivering services for the Digitally Excluded
- Experience of defining and implementing a strategic approach to user research
- Experience of introducing new ways of working into an existing team or department
- Experience of contracting and managing suppliers to deliver outcomes to the required quality
- Worked within an Agile software development project/programme
If you feel that you have what it takes to add value and be a success in this role, then apply today!
Candidates to provide a statement of suitability to demonstrate the skills and experience detailed in the job description along with a CV.
Working Arrangements & Further Information
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
Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year, and rising as your service increases. 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.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers, and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
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.
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.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
29/06/2018, 23:55 hours.
Closing Date: 29th June 2018 at 23.55 hours
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@sscl.gse.gov.uk Please quote the job reference.
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.
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
Interview stage assessments
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.