This job listing has expired

Senior Content Designer

UK Home Office London, UK
Find more jobs in Content Design ...or browse all content jobs
Job description

The first duty of the government is to keep citizens safe and the country secure. The Home Office has been at the front line of this effort since 1782. As such, we play a fundamental role in maintaining the security and economic prosperity of the UK.

The Home Office leads on immigration and passports, refugee protection, counter-terrorism, policing, fire services, and crime and drugs policy.

Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) enables the Home Office to keep the UK safe and secure. We design and build the services that help people apply for visas or passports; support policing and counter-terrorism operations; and protect the UK’s borders.

Job description

This is an exciting time to be at the Home Office. You’ll have a chance to shape the future and support our mission to deliver exceptional public services that work for everyone.

Our work is guided by these principles:

  • We put user needs first
  • We value delivery and outcomes over process
  • We work in the open

Our flexible working policy ensures a healthy work-life balance. We also nurture talent and offer a broad range of learning and development opportunities that will help you flourish in your role.

We work hard to maintain a positive working culture and are committed to helping you fulfil your potential. We value diversity and provide an open, inclusive and supportive environment to help you do your best work.

You can keep up-to-date with our work on the Home Office DDaT blog.

https://hodigital.blog.gov.uk/

We’re recruiting people to design accessible services that are simple enough for everyone to use. Our Content Designers work in fast-paced, multidisciplinary teams to create clear, user-led content for digital services.

As a Content Designer, your role is to make sure appropriate content is shown to users in the right place and in the best format. You’ll work closely with User Researchers and Interaction Designers to test ideas, challenge assumptions and propose design solutions based on user needs.

You’ll know how to:

  • Make complex language and processes simple to understand
  • Make the case for user-led design
  • Explain your decisions clearly

The framework for Content Designers’ technical skills are stated on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/content-designer

Responsibilities

You’ll also be comfortable managing, mentoring and training other designers to support the growth and development of the content design team.

You will:

  • Scope, write and iterate content for complex internal and public-facing services, basing your content decisions on research and evidence.
  • Work as part of a multidisciplinary Agile team to identify user needs, write and map user stories, and propose design solutions.
  • Identify and engage with stakeholders to understand objectives, review accuracy of content and advocate for user-centred design.
  • Create content strategies that prioritise user needs while meeting business requirements.
  • Use a variety of prototyping methods to share and test design proposals.
  • Line manage, train and mentor other content designers, providing them with guidance, support and constructive feedback.

You will also be expected to:

  • Constructively challenge design decisions that don’t meet user needs.
  • Help other team members understand what content design is, why it’s important and how to work with content designers.
  • Make sure accessibility and inclusion are prioritised throughout development.

Essential Criteria

You’ll have a demonstrable interest in user-centred design, with the following skills or some experience in:

  • Scoping, writing and iterating accessible, user-centred content for digital services.
  • Using data and research to identify user needs, challenge assumptions and inform strategic decisions.
  • Identifying and engaging with stakeholders to understand business needs and clarify constraints.
  • Convincing stakeholders and team members about the benefits of a user-centred design approach that prioritises accessibility and inclusion.
  • Designing evidence-based solutions to complex problems, using prototypes to share and test design proposals.
  • Working autonomously in an Agile, multidisciplinary team - managing tight deadlines under pressure.

Desirable Criteria

Ideally, you will also have the following skills or some experience in:

  • Managing and mentoring team members, providing them with guidance, training and constructive feedback.
  • Sharing your knowledge and opinions with people outside your team, for example, through blogging, workshops or conferences.

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

  • Stakeholder Management
  • Strategic Thinking
  • User Focus
  • User-centered content Design

Benefits

  • Learning and development tailored to your role
  • An environment with flexible working options
  • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
  • A Civil Service pension

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

See our vetting charter.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (Max Word Limit:1000).

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

Please note your personal statement should be aligned to the essential criteria and technical skills outlined in the personal specification and job description.

Your CV and personal statement will be sifted against the essential criteria and technical skills outlined in the personal specification and job description.

Successful candidates at sift will be invited to interview where we will assess your Experience and Technical skills during the interview, which may include a practical exercise.

Sift and Interview dates

  • Sift will take place week commencing 21st June 2021
  • Interviews will take place week commencing 12th July 2021

In the event that Government advice on Covid 19 remains unchanged, interviews will be conducted remotely. Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.

Further information

Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement.

If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are Stonewall top 100 Workplace Equality Employer and a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home 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

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.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

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

Feedback

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

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
  • relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
  • certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Name : Frank Ramsay

Email : Francis.Ramsay@homeoffice.gov.uk 

Recruitment team :

Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance HORecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

External Candidate Notes V30 (MAY 2021)  (docx, 168kB)

Home Office CANDIDATE & ID DOCUMENTS (v11.19)  (pdf, 394kB)

Salary range GBP £57k to £63k annual
Date posted 9th June 2021
Commitment Full-Time
Place of work Croydon, UK
Additional information
Similar jobs
BlueTrail Contentdesigner / UX-writer Full-Time Lichtenvoorde, NL Content Design Mar 26th
Pop-Up Talent UX Content Designer Contract Seattle, WA Content Design Mar 26th
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Senior User Experience Content Designer, Associate Full-Time Brooklyn, NY Content Design Mar 14th
Renaissance Learning Content Designer $38k-52k/yr Full-Time Remote Content Design Mar 12th
K Health Senior Content Designer $130k-155k/yr Full-Time New York City, NY Content Design Mar 12th
RingCentral Senior Content Designer, User Education $107k-180k/yr Full-Time Denver, CO Content Design Mar 12th
326 open job opportunities

25 new jobs added in the last week.

Popular areas
Popular cities
Hiring? We'll put your job ad in front of a growing community of content professionals. Post a job
Join our free newsletter

Each week we share peer interviews, fresh jobs, links and resources to help your career grow.

It's free. See our privacy policy.
Thanks! We'll email you weekly with new resources.