About the job

Job summary

Join us in building a robust Scottish Social Security System.

 

The Smith Commission proposed the devolution of significant welfare powers to the Scottish Parliament. Many of these powers are set out in the new Scotland Act. Once fully enacted, social security benefits in excess of £2.7bn will be transferred from the UK Parliament, including powers to create Scottish benefits for those of working age. This will allow the Scottish Government to establish many elements of a Scottish social security system.

 

The Social Security Programme Directorate has been established to take forward the Scotland Act powers on devolved benefits. This vacancy sits within the Programme Management & Delivery Division User Research team who work with our delivery teams to plan, design and deliver research activities.

 

As a senior accessibility specialist you will plan and conduct accessibility activities across programme teams. You will build accessibility practices into new and existing teams. You will champion and promote accessibility and inclusive design across Scottish Government digital activities. You will be a point of contact and knowledge for the wider Social Security user-centred design team.

 

Your people skills will be required as you influence, question and coach cross-functional teams and stakeholders in valuing accessibility is an essential component of digital service delivery.

Job description

As an accessibility specialist with the Scottish Government you will provide support, advice and guidance to other roles in the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) Profession about how to create accessible digital services.

 

The activities required for this role may include: 

• You will use knowledge of accessibility guidelines, provide technical expertise and bring the voice of disabled users to ensure that product teams make digital services that can be used by everyone. This will include actively sharing a deep knowledge of how to select and use appropriate technologies.
• You will be expected to work independently and as part of a team, performing accessibility audits against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (latest version, currently 2.2) on digital services manage testing activities within development or integration activities. This could be reviewing prototype designs before build, working within an agile methodology during build or post build engagements. The aim is to manage risk and taking preventative action when risks become unacceptable.
• You will be confident in building consensus between services or independent stakeholders and providing advice and recommendations based on your significant specialist knowledge and experience.
• Building strong relationships to communicate requirements to a range of stakeholders to reduce or remove risk associated with not meeting accessibility standards.
• You will work closely with the Accessibility Lead to lead the definition of the Digital Accessibility Strategy including any guidance informing how the organisation approaches delivery.
• You will coach and mentor junior members of the team, line managing staff (where appropriate).
• You will be expected to contribute to DDaT community such as by participating in events and reviewing processes, tools and guidance.
• Working closely with Service Managers, Product Owners and wider teams within the Social Security Directorate, you will prepare and lead user research activities to;
  • Participate in and/or support programme and project assurance activities.
  • Other duties as required by SG to support wider corporate activities.

Person specification

You do not need any formal qualifications for this role, the essential criteria are: - 

 

1. Experience on large scale projects in a digital accessibility setting, designing and delivering a wide range of accessibility activities including: negotiating accessibility briefs, performing detailed audits, documenting findings clearly, providing training on a
range of accessibility issues and demonstrating confidence using a range of assistive technologies
2. Demonstrate excellent knowledge of accessibility standards and legislation, especially the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the Public Sector Bodies Web Accessibility Regulation and can show accessibility barriers that exist and can be remediated across all your interactions.
3. Experience on large projects communicating requirements to a range of stakeholders including actively sharing a deep knowledge of how to select and use appropriate technologies (including Accessible Rich Internet Applications) to provide an excellent experience.
4. Experience on large projects using your specialist knowledge to communicate feedback, making recommendations to a variety of stakeholders to ensure the right decisions are made for people with disabilities.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,557, Scottish Government contributes £11,805 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

To apply, you must fully complete and submit an online application via this website before the closing date as well as a CV (no longer than two pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements.

In addition to your CV, you should fill in a personal statement (no longer than 750 words) explaining why you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience suitable for this role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

When considering how your experience relates to the role, please tailor your CV and personal statement to reflect the role and the essential skills/criteria as described in the job description/person specification.

 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.