Job Description
Senior User Researcher
Location: National*
Closing Date: 25th October
Interviews: W/C 9th November
Grade: 7
(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)
Salary**: London: £63,343 - 70,725
National: £58,511 - £65,329
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
Contract Type: Permanent
Number of vacancies: 3
*We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP
Please note that unless you are an existing member of staff at Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ.
The Role
We’re recruiting for Senior User Researchers here at Justice Digital, Data and Science to be part of our warm and collaborative teams.
This role aligns against Senior User Researcher from the Government Digital and Data Framework
User Researchers help our teams develop a deep understanding of our people - citizens, businesses or government colleagues - who use our services. Their findings allow our teams to design and build better services more quickly and at lower cost and risk. And to continuously improve services, based on data and evidence.
As a senior user researcher at JDDS you’ll be an experienced practitioner who can plan and lead user research activities within a multidisciplinary team and uncover insights of the staff and end users of our complex but fascinating Justice system.
You’ll be joining a highly supportive community of researchers who meet regularly to share their knowledge and project experience within a safe learning environment. You may work with other user researchers (junior and mid-level) to assure and improve their research practice.
Background
We design, build and support user-centred digital and technology services for the justice system: services that make a real difference to our staff, members of the public and their families who use them. Millions of people interact with our services, and Digital & Technology play an important role in improving access to justice and making that experience much easier and less distressing.
We are using digital, data, technology, and AI to build capability, work smarter, and more efficiently. We want to create a digitally enabled end-to-end justice system which can adapt and respond to changing needs. We were the first digital team in a government department, and the first to deliver an exemplar service, with experts in web development, design, delivery and product management and user research, alongside around 50 organisations, including the courts service and Government Digital Service (GDS)
You’ll receive a range of excellent benefits when you join our department, including:
A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
25 days of annual leave, (increasing to 30 days once you have reached 5 years of service), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working, working part time or compressed hours. Designed to support a positive work–life balance.
Employees are allocated 10% of their working time for personal and professional development.
A £1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best-in-class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!
You can find more details of the Benefits we offer here. To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science please take a look at our blog.
Key Responsibilities
Researchers on our teams are:
Great at using quantitative and qualitative research methods
Comfortable with metrics and able to synthesise data quickly
Great storytellers and communicators
Very good at collaborating in a dynamic, data-driven, creative environment with diverse stakeholders
Primary Responsibilities:
Scope, plan, conduct, analyse and communicate research
Lead colleagues to analyse and synthesise research data
Communicate research findings across the organisation.
Work closely with product managers, designers, data scientists, and developers/ engineers to turn user research findings into actions that lead to valuable services
Mentor, support and line manage mid-level and junior User Researchers
Educate stakeholders and colleagues on how user research can be beneficial within their project
If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!
Person Specification
Essential
Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them. You can plan user research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on the choice and application of research methods to assure best practice.
User-centred and Agile practices. You can understand and demonstrate experience in a range of user-centred practices. You can help inexperienced teams adopt user-centred practices and embed them into their Agile workflow. You can advocate for user research, and engage potentially sceptical colleagues and stakeholders.
Analysis and synthesis. You can understand and help teams to apply a range of methods to analyse research data and synthesise findings. You can work collaboratively with colleagues in carrying out analysis and synthesis. You can advise on the choice and application of techniques, and can critique colleagues’ findings to assure best practice. You can share insights with a range of colleagues and stakeholders to help elevate the user's voice.
Inclusive research. You can help teams understand the diversity of users of government services. You can effectively include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities. You can advocate inclusive practices and help teams design and deliver accessible services that work for all users. You recognise the ethical implications when planning and carrying out research for both the researcher and participant.
Stakeholder relationship management. You can influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively. You can build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders.
Research management, leadership and assurance. You can evaluate the quality of research against accepted professional standards for user research, explain what good practice involves and give constructive feedback to other user researchers to ensure their work meets good practice standards
Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance
We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.
Our values are Purpose, Humanity Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Salary Information**
Base salary for this role is from London: £63,343 - 70,725 and National: £58,511 - £65,329
New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the pay band for the role, whichever is higher.
Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.
How to Apply
In Justice Digital, Data and Science, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We shall assess a combination of your Experience and Behaviours during the assessment process.
Stage 1 - Application and sift:
To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application.
A CV detailing your career history (including any relevant qualifications). Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Person Specification of this advert.
A Personal Statement (no more than 750 words) which should outline your experience and skills, giving clear examples of work undertaken. It should specifically address the following 3 criteria listed below, using a separate paragraph for each.
- Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them. You can plan user research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on the choice and application of research methods to assure best practice.
- User-centred and Agile practices. You can understand and demonstrate experience in a range of user-centred practices. You can help inexperienced teams adopt user-centred practices and embed them into their Agile workflow. You can advocate for user research, and engage potentially sceptical colleagues and stakeholders.
- Research management, leadership and assurance. You can evaluate the quality of research against accepted professional standards for user research, explain what good practice involves and give constructive feedback to other user researchers to ensure their work meets good practice standards
A diverse sift panel will review the information in your CV and Personal Statement to assess the sift criteria specified above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement do not include your name or any other identifying details.
Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on 'Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them. You can plan user research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on the choice and application of research methods to assure best practice' will be conducted before the sift.
Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance
Stage 2 - Interviews:
Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a panel interview held via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements - Experience and the following Behaviours:
Leadership
Working together
Changing and Improving
Communicating and influencing
As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a presentation. Further details will be provided if successful at sift.
Appointments are made strictly in merit order. In the event that two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the 'Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them. You can plan user research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on the choice and application of research methods to assure best practice' will be applied as the primary lead criterion to determine the final merit order.
Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application.
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.
Use of 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Terms & Conditions
Please review our Terms and Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact digitalanddatarecruitment@justice.gov.uk
