About the job

Job summary

Our priorities

Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.

Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.

Put public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.

Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.

Deliver legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture which makes the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it helps us be more innovative.

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion and fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process. 

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation?

You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/  

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Job description

We’re looking for an experienced Senior Content Designer to help us communicate the work of the new department on GOV.UK. This role is part-time, three days per week.

As part of our team, you’ll be working on some of the most exciting policies in government, from cutting edge AI and quantum computing, to bold new scientific discoveries, and the latest developments in the UK space sector. All of which contribute to building the UK economy, creating high-skilled high-paid jobs, and improving people’s lives through science and technology.

You'll do this by designing content to meet user needs and making complex language and processes easy to understand. You’ll need to identify who our users are so that you can learn about them and what their needs are based on evidence from insight and evaluation.

You’ll need to be confident in explaining your decisions to colleagues with limited communications or digital knowledge. Although primarily working with policy colleagues, you’ll also need to be comfortable working with developers, designers, researchers, and legal experts.

This is an exciting, fast-paced role and you must work well under pressure and to tight deadlines, with an ability to adapt swiftly to changing circumstances.

The Content Design Team is a small team within the wider Digital Communications Team, who also look after social media, creative content and digital engagement. As Senior Content Designer, you’ll be responsible for directly managing one Content Designer and mentoring a network of content design colleagues around the department.

As a Senior Content Designer, you will:

• Design, publish, review and manage content for GOV.UK;

• Review and act upon user feedback, analytics and research to improve content;

• Provide user-centred content design advice and consultancy to policy teams;

• Take responsibility for content quality for the department, ensuring that it follows the rules on accessibility, user needs and style;

• Manage the central content team and mentor content colleagues across the department;

• Work with service designers and the Digital, Data and Technology team to map and design user journeys from GOV.UK to digital services;

• Work with the wider Communications team to build campaign websites;

• Improve content design capability in the team and across the department;

• Promote the importance of content design and early engagement to policy teams;

• Provide advise to the department about the GOV.UK proposition and recommendations for content that sits outside of GOV.UK;

• Engage with the cross-government content community and keep up to date with industry changes.

Person specification

Further information about the expected skills for this role can be found on the GDS role information for senior content designers: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-designer#senior-content-designer

Skills and Experience 

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Extensive content design experience, with proven ability to create content that is accessible, usable and user-centred (knowledge of GOV.UK preferred);

• Experience in working with content publishing systems and an understanding of basic HTML and markdown;

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills;

• The ability to work to tight deadlines and help others to do the same;

• The ability to coordinate multiple projects and adapt to changing priorities;

• Experience of using analytics, user feedback, and user research to improve content;

• Experience with content operations, including proposing and implementing new processes;

• The ability to coach and develop another content designer.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,860, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £10,492 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to tell us about your content design skills and experience you have that you think will make you suitable for this role. Please include some specific examples of your work that demonstrate your skills and experience.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviours and technical questions, as well as a written exercise.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 11/03/2024

Interview dates: w/c 25/03/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service and Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback

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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.