About the job

Job summary

Do you have a passion for User Research in digital? 

If so, continue reading to find out more about this fantastic opportunity to join HMRC - one of the largest and most dynamic IT infrastructures in Europe, and we are now one of the most digitally advanced tax authorities in the world.

See what it’s like to work at HMRC: find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question. Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Job description

HMRC is currently undertaking some of the largest digital transformation programmes across Government and other sectors. Our user researchers are at the core of keeping user needs central to design and implementation, providing an opportunity to shape and improve Services that impact millions of users daily. 

The role sits within Customer Strategy and Tax Design, part of HMRC’s Tax Administration Directorate. We are responsible for managing demand and change in guidance products in Gov.uk, as part of this we ensure User Centred Design is at the heart of everything we do. This enables us to build efficient, simple to use guidance that makes it easy for users to get it right. 

In this role, you will join a thriving and supportive User Researcher community, with regular opportunities for insight sharing, training and discussion. Our team draws together expertise from a wide variety of backgrounds and sectors, and welcome new ideas on how we can continue to conduct robust research with real-world impact.

This is an exciting time to join an organisation that is at the forefront of cutting edge user research. Our blog tells you a bit more about what we do and how we do it.  

Key Responsibilities  

• Lead on planning, recruiting and conducting user research for new technology concept testing, including playing back user research to stakeholders and digital teams.
• Understanding the service problem then aligning user research activities to influence and support decision making.  
• Applying a range of techniques to analyse and synthesise user research insights, creating research outputs in an actionable way.
• Advocate for, and include, all kinds of users in appropriate research activities to help teams design accessible services for all users.
• Engage in a community of user researchers, contributing to areas of development. 
• Manage and/or mentor Junior User Researchers.
• Participate in HMRC’s cross-government research and conferences.  

We offer a hybrid working model that allows you to work between home and office locations, giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Occasional travel to other sites will be required. 

Person specification

Ideally, we are looking for someone passionate about understanding users' needs and aligning research to solve problems. 

Essential Criteria  

You will already have experience and understanding of:  

• The ability to understand what problem your team is trying to solve and align qualitative and quantitative user research activities to inform decision making and action.
• Robust research and analysis skills. Using a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies including ethnographic techniques, usability testing, remote testing, and survey design.
• Experienced in analysing and synthesising user research data to generate actionable recommendations. 
• A good understanding of the diversity of users of government services, and the ability to include many kinds of users in appropriate research activities.
• Experienced in producing appropriate research outputs to demonstrate insights and recommendations. Presenting clear findings that colleagues can understand and use.
• Advocating for the value of user research and engaging sceptical stakeholders. 
• A degree in psychology, cognitive science, human factors, computer science, product/interaction design, human computer interaction or related disciplines or relevant user research experience.  

Desirable Criteria  

Ideally you will also have knowledge and experience of:  

• Working with the Service Manual and/or GOV.UK standards and working practices. 
• Experience of running inclusive research including with those with barriers to access, accessibility needs and hard-to-reach users.
• An understanding of agile approaches and experience of working in agile teams. 
• Some knowledge of current technologies used to build and operate digital services, and the different technical roles in a digital team.  

This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at sift or interview.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.

Find more about HMRC benefits in 'Your little extras and big benefits handbook' for further information or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the selection process, you will be asked to complete: 

• A copy of your CV detailing your job history, qualifications, and experience. 
• A Personal Statement (a maximum of 500 words), which will outline how you are suitable for this role and how you meet the Essential Criteria, providing evidence where possible. 

You will also be asked to provide a statement addressing the Desirable Criteria, which will not be sifted on, but may be used in the event of a tie-break.

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications an initial sift will be carried out on your CV to assess Experience. 

If you progress to full sift, we will then review your Personal Statement to assess your ability to meet the requirements of the job role and Essential Criteria. 

Interview

During the panel interview, you will be asked about your Experience (how you meet the Criteria) as well as Technical skills questions which demonstrate the things you do well and/or are motivated by. 

You may be asked to conduct a research skills exercise for interview or be asked a scenario-based question – the details of this will be shared at a later stage, prior to interview.

After interview, a single merit list will be created and appointments will be made in strict merit order until the set demand is filled in each location.

If successful, you will be informed which locations are available when we reach your position on the merit list.

Interviews will take place via video link.

We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.

Interview dates to be confirmed.

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Eligibility

To check that you are eligible to apply, review this eligibility information

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need, so please review the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you are able to travel to.                 

Reasonable Adjustments 

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. 

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application, review this information on reasonable adjustments, and contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Diversity and Inclusion

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues and creating an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We’re committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues here at HMRC. We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at HMRC.

For more information on how we make this happen, review this information on our culture and values

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible after considering operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process. 

The Civil Service runs 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. 

Locations 

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

Security Update

For more information on the level of security checks we will carry out, review this information on security checks 

Further Information

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application/s will be withdrawn from the process. 

Duplicate applications for the same vacancy will also be withdrawn.

Transferring into HMRC from Civil Service If you are currently working for an ‘Other Government Department’ (OGD) and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”, found at the bottom of this advert. Further information on staff transfers can be found on gov.uk

Problems during the application process 

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

If you think you’ve made a mistake on a short application form (e.g. you’ve ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we won’t be able to reopen your application.   

Please use the subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application - 339127 & vacancy closing date 16/02/2024. Please note that we cannot amend or re-open your application if you have submitted your full application in the interests of fair and open recruitment.

For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within reasonable adjustments section above.

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.