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:
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:
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:
You will also be expected to:
Essential Criteria
You’ll have a demonstrable interest in user-centred design, with the following skills or some experience in:
Desirable Criteria
Ideally, you will also have the following skills or some experience in:
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
Benefits
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.
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
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:
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)
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