JOB SUMMARY

The UKHSA internal communication and intranet team is at the heart of UKHSA leadership and decision-making. They influence departmental culture and behaviour through a high impact programme of exciting communication, channels’ development, and content.
The UKHSA’s intranet, Pulse, is a platform that provide vital information to a workforce of 6,500 people, who cover a variety of roles and responsibilities. It aims to be the single trusted source of information for staff who are spread across many locations. Pulse and the work of the content design team that services it provides significant value to the organisation by providing UKHSA’s “digital HQ” – a place where our staff can connect, collaborate, and stay informed about the latest news and information needed to do their jobs effectively, or to create content, ideas, and knowledge.
We are looking for a Senior Content Designer to contribute to this important platform’s content. The post sits within the Internal Communications team; however, you will work very closely with both the communications and technology group to deliver the service our staff expects and needs, reflecting the ownership of the channel.
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

JOB DESCRIPTION

UKHSA is undergoing a programme of extensive organisational and cultural evolution as the agency establishes itself. The post-holder will work with subject matter experts to provide specialist advice built on insight to create and develop digital content that reflects and supports the evolving phase of our organisation.
You will work with subject matter experts to turn their guidance, policies and other materials into web content that can be easily understood and used by colleagues from across UKHSA. You will develop an understanding of what users need, drawing on insight from user research, website analytics, and your professional experience. You will then support colleagues to develop content, or design and create it yourself.
You will plan and deliver the content for a wide range of pages and sub-sites on our corporate intranet, Pulse. Pulse has been developed iteratively, based on the Government Digital Service (GDS) Manual, and was launched in October 2021. Since then, a significant amount of new content has been developed along with a new governance structure for content ownership and maintenance by business areas. We now seek to move Pulse’s content team towards a more proactive and strategic approach to content development and maintenance.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Playing a leadership role in facilitating the development of UKHSA’s content, working closely with and advising subject matter experts who contribute to the site’s content
• Embedding a digital culture across UKHSA, with a focus on user needs and delivering services that meet the Digital by Default Service Standard
• Leading on developing and delivering content for UKHSA
• Leading on developing user needs, reviewing existing content against them, identifying content gaps and overlaps, and shaping and developing content to meet user needs
• Advocating and implementing digital accessibility standards compliance for all types of content
• Supporting the work to encourage business areas to own and review their content on the intranet
• Conducting light-touch user research (such as qualitative interviews, workshops, testing days) and website performance analysis, and working with research and performance specialists
• Scoping, commissioning, writing, editing, and publishing content to style,
• Reviewing and improving processes and work with content publishing systems
• Drawing on user research and analytics to develop content that meets users’ needs
• Coaching UKHSA colleagues so they can write in plain English
• Managing relationships with subject matter experts to make sure content is accurate and up to date
• Advising colleagues on developing good digital products, outside content itself
• Monitoring the performance of content and tools, and work with the rest of the digital team to improve them
• Identifying ways to improve the content, and work with the team to make these things happen
• Working in an agile team

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

You will be assessed on the below five essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Experience of user-centred content design methods, best practice and appropriate tooling to explore problems and opportunities within complex organisations
• Building relationships with specialist colleagues, coaching them in writing for the web and in plain language
• Setting and maintaining content design standards
• Strong digital skills and the ability to use or learn new tools (content management systems, Jira)
• Experience of writing and editing accessible and usable content using a style guide and design standards, using feedback, research and analytics to make strategic content decisions

SUCCESS PROFILES

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed five essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000-word Statement of Suitability.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

Please note Pile 1 will be carried though to Shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• Experience of user-centred content design methods, best practice and appropriate tooling to explore problems and opportunities within complex organisatio

The following Desirable criteria taken from the Job description, is listed below may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

• Working as a content designer or senior content designer in government
• Experience in a related digital discipline, including user research, service design or content strategy
• Working in an agile environment

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment
Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
Please do not exceed 1000-words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

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)
• 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

Your responsibilities will include:

• Playing a leadership role in facilitating the development of UKHSA’s content, working closely with and advising subject matter experts who contribute to the site’s content
• Embedding a digital culture across UKHSA, with a focus on user needs and delivering services that meet the Digital by Default Service Standard
• Leading on developing and delivering content for UKHSA
• Leading on developing user needs, reviewing existing content against them, identifying content gaps and overlaps, and shaping and developing content to meet user needs
• Advocating and implementing digital accessibility standards compliance for all types of content
• Supporting the work to encourage business areas to own and review their content on the intranet
• Conducting light-touch user research (such as qualitative interviews, workshops, testing days) and website performance analysis, and working with research and performance specialists
• Scoping, commissioning, writing, editing, and publishing content to style,
• Reviewing and improving processes and work with content publishing systems
• Drawing on user research and analytics to develop content that meets users’ needs
• Coaching UKHSA colleagues so they can write in plain English
• Managing relationships with subject matter experts to make sure content is accurate and up to date
• Advising colleagues on developing good digital products, outside content itself
• Monitoring the performance of content and tools, and work with the rest of the digital team to improve them
• Identifying ways to improve the content, and work with the team to make these things happen
• Working in an agile tea

You will be assessed on the below five essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Experience of user-centred content design methods, best practice and appropriate tooling to explore problems and opportunities within complex organisations
• Building relationships with specialist colleagues, coaching them in writing for the web and in plain language
• Setting and maintaining content design standards
• Strong digital skills and the ability to use or learn new tools (content management systems, Jira)
• Experience of writing and editing accessible and usable content using a style guide and design standards, using feedback, research and analytics to make strategic content decision