JOB SUMMARY

You will be joining the Chief Medical Advisor Directorate which provides trusted clinical and public health leadership through expert advice, guidance, epidemiological insights and evidence. The group leads and delivers services protecting the population from hazards locally, nationally and globally.
The role sits within the UKHSA’s core User-Centred Design (UCD) team, which is part of the Readiness and Surge division. Readiness and Surge works across UKHSA and sets the strategic direction for UKHSA’s readiness to respond to all threats and hazards. We focus on Agency capability, putting external stakeholder and customer needs at the centre of designs for the future. We identify opportunities to improve public health outcomes through better user experiences.
The team are responsible for:
• Embedding UCD approaches into UKHSA ways of working
• UCD expertise in project delivery
• Ensuring user needs are understood and designed for, advocating for all users, to achieve equitable outcomes
• Ensuring our products are accessible and developed to the Government Service Standard and use appropriate style guides and patterns
• Leading the UKHSA-wide UCD community of practice to support organisational and in-profession development
• Standards for UCD professionals

JOB DESCRIPTION

As a user researcher, you’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary squad collaborating with teams across UKHSA. Through effective user research you’ll ensure design projects are rooted in a deep understanding of users and their needs.
Together with other UCD professions, you’ll ensure quality, innovation, and creativity in how we approach all aspects of design and how we bring concepts to life for stakeholders to effect change.
You’ll embody inclusive behaviours. You’ll understand the importance of inclusive research practices, taking pride in ensuring research is representative of a wide range of people and communities.
You’ll be an active part of the UCD community sharing insights and practices within the community and across the organisation.
Your work will help UKHSA to solve problems, improve public health outcomes and address health inequalities.
This role is aligned to Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework - user researcher.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential criteria - you will be assessed on the below 8 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Experience of using user-centred design methods and practices in complex organisations
• Experience of designing and delivering inclusive user research with a range of users
• Experience of qualitative research methodologies and knowing how to apply different methods to different research projects
• Experience of using basic techniques to analyse and synthesise findings
• To be able to create actionable, evidenced-based insights using a variety of techniques to tell compelling stories.
• Experience of developing user research practices and a good understanding of the key standards in assuring the quality of user research
• To be able to explain the value of research practice. navigate stakeholder landscapes and gain support for research plans, findings, and ways of working
• To be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely delivery

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

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE:

• Carry out user research activities, creating research plans, recruiting participants, preparing discussion guides, creating information gathering artefacts, running and moderating user research sessions
• Analyse and synthesise user research data to present clear and engaging user insights and actionable findings, using creative approaches to storytelling
• Contribute to the improvement of user research practice and ways of working by adhering to and embedding consistent and high-quality professional standards
• Drive awareness of user research practices, advocating for user needs and user research to be embedded within strategy, policy and service design
• Work collaboratively and in an inclusive manner by involving teams and colleagues from across UKHSA in user research to help everyone develop a deep understanding of UKHSA’s users’ needs
• Act as the voice of users in the design of our services, make actionable recommendations based on insights and communicate these to stakeholders clearly and confidently
• Ensure research practice is high quality and meets government and NHS standards and industry best practice – using peer reviews and critique processes to gather feedback and share best practice
• Actively contribute to the UKHSA’s community of practice, advocate for user research and support the creation of the right environment and processes to establish the profession within UKHSA

Essential criteria - you will be assessed on the below 8 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Experience of using user-centred design methods and practices in complex organisations
• Experience of designing and delivering inclusive user research with a range of users
• Experience of qualitative research methodologies and knowing how to apply different methods to different research projects
• Experience of using basic techniques to analyse and synthesise findings
• To be able to create actionable, evidenced-based insights using a variety of techniques to tell compelling stories.
• Experience of developing user research practices and a good understanding of the key standards in assuring the quality of user research
• To be able to explain the value of research practice. navigate stakeholder landscapes and gain support for research plans, findings, and ways of working
• To be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely deliver