About the job

Job summary

Cabinet Office Digital is undergoing a significant transformation. We aspire to make UK Government digital services the best in the world, meeting or exceeding the benchmark set globally by the best public or private sector standards. 

We are creating a digital culture where user needs are at the heart of everything we build. Through data democratisation, automation, governance and consolidation we will create a better Cabinet Office. As the digital arm of the department, we advise and assure our colleagues from other Business Units and Arm’s-Length Bodies in developing their own Government Digital and Data capabilities, as well as taking on delivery responsibilities ourselves. 

We are structured across multiple functions, including Enterprise Services (where we deliver physical and infrastructure IT, including laptops, phones, software and networking kit). 

This is an exciting opportunity to join CO Digital, to lead on stakeholder engagement and business improvements and otherwise support the Cabinet Office in delivering on the country’s priorities at the heart of the UK Government. This is an exciting opportunity to impact how the Cabinet Office uses its IT. You will be working closely with a multi-disciplinary Agile team to plan, design and carry out research activities with a broad range of users to help the team get a deep understanding of the people who use our services. You will enable the team to design and build better services at pace, reducing cost and risk and balancing user needs alongside business objectives.

Job description

As a User Researcher, you will work in a multi-disciplinary team on a wide range of user research activities. You will work independently, with support and guidance from more senior researchers. 

We have one post available in either Manchester or Bristol to join our Enterprise Services function and deliver physical and infrastructure IT, including laptops, phones and networking kit. This is a complex area: we are stabilising our IT platform as well as improving it. 

There may be regular travel to our London offices in Westminster as part of this post.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the post include the following:

• Planning, designing and preparing a range of user research activities to support the design, development and continuous improvement of physical IT (including network and Wifi usage, printing changes and laptop/monitor upgrades)
• Carrying out user research activities from recruiting participants, preparing discussion guides and moderating research sessions
• Working closely with Business Analysts, Delivery Managers, Enterprise Architects and Subject Matter Experts to turn user research findings into stories and actions that lead to valuable product and service features
• Managing the usability and accessibility testing process from recruiting participants, designing test tasks and preparing discussion guides to test moderation, analysis and presenting results
• Leading the design, execution and analysis of ad-hoc quantitative surveys
• Conducting required user research throughout alpha and beta phases of projects to launch, including post-launch research as required
• Leading colleagues to analyse research data and synthesise clear and actionable findings, including working closely with analytics colleagues to create a rich picture of user behaviour
• Communicating user research findings to help the team and wider organisation develop a deep understanding of users and their needs, including presentations at show-and-tells, designing and maintaining research outputs on the team wall and creating formal reports
• Winning and maintaining buy-in from a range of stakeholders on the benefits of user research

Person specification

Essential criteria and skills:

• The ability to understand what problem your team is trying to solve, and align user research activities to inform decision making and action
• Experience and understanding of a range of user research methods, when to use those methods and how to apply them correctly
• Experience and understanding of a range of techniques for analysis of research data, synthesis of findings, and presentation of clear findings that colleagues can understand and use
• A good understanding of the diversity of users of government services, and the ability to include many kinds of users in appropriate research activities
• Experience of working with colleagues to plan and carry out continuous user research in a multi-disciplinary team
• A good understanding of the social and technological context for government services
• The ability to challenge and achieve buy-in from stakeholders on the benefits of user research 

Desirable criteria:

• An understanding of Agile approaches and experience of working in Agile teams
• Knowledge or experience of physical/infrastructure IT and corporate IT platforms (for example, Google Workspace or Microsoft Office 365)

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,029 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 your application you will be required to provide a CV setting out your career history and qualifications, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.

You will also be required to provide a Statement of Suitability (750 words max.)

Please use your statement of suitability to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification section of the job advert.

Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the 'Person Specification' section of the job advert.

Should you be successful at sift, you will be invited to attend an interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and technical skills.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – WC 6th May 2024
Expected interview date/s – WC 27th May 2024
Interview location – Video

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via menurecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 
• Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further information

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

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

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Cabinet Office 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 at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

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

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

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

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.