Details
Reference number
430627
Salary
£73,900
New entrants to the Civil Service will start their role on the salary band minimum: £73,900 for National Roles. £77,900 for London Roles.
Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA): Up to £9,000 is available for candidates who demonstrate exceptional skills and experience evidenced at interview stage.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Grade 6
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
HO - Digital Data and Technology
Type of role
Digital
Information Technology
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time, Compressed hours
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Croydon CR0 2WF, Manchester M5 3LZ, Sheffield S3 8NU
About the job
Job summary
The Home Office Government Digital and Data directorate designs, builds and develops services for the rest of the department and for government. Every year our systems support up to 3 million visa applications, checks on 100 million border crossings, up to 8 million passport applications and deliver 140 million police checks on people, vehicles and property.
As a principal content designer, you'll work on challenging problems that require an understanding of complex services and systems and their wider context.
As part of your practice, you will understand how to extract and distil complex technical information from engineers and senior stakeholders into clear, actionable guidance and documentation.
You will be part of a project team and will work with colleagues to:
* Explore the problem space and understand the department's technical estate
* Develop and communicate technical writing standards, processes and guidance that promote consistency, security and efficiency
* Ensure services are accessible, inclusive and meet user needs
* Resolve discrepancies between design approach and organisational aims
* Promote the benefits of user-centred design (UCD)
You will be expected to lead and assure the work of other designers and provide guidance on best practice.
You will be expected to raise awareness of good content design across the Home Office and wider government design community.
Job description
Your main day-to-day responsibilities will be:
* Working with senior technical and process experts to get an in-depth understanding of relevant systems, platforms, data and technologies.
* Defining and embedding standards, guidance and processes for technical content, ensuring these meet user needs.
* Facilitating activities that help teams and stakeholders understand the problem space and assess the implication of design decisions.
* Establishing an effective UCD culture, convincing stakeholders and staff groups of the value of technical writing, and embedding UCD practices that include the creation and use of technical documentation.
* Assuring the quality of content design activities and outputs, while supporting the UCD leadership team to develop and embed best practice standards, guidelines and processes.
* Improve the efficiency of the design process and the consistency of services by developing reusable patterns, processes and templates.
* Managing other content designers, including setting goals, conducting performance reviews and mentoring junior members of staff.
Watch this video to hear from members of the team talking about the projects they work on and their experience of working here.
Person specification
UK residency and security requirements - You need to have lived in the UK for the past 5 years.
Essential skills
You'll have a demonstrable passion for UCD, with the following skills or some experience in:
* Strategy and advocacy: persuading stakeholders to adopt a user-centred, evidence-based approach by presenting information and arguments clearly and convincingly, both verbally and in writing.
* Content design: scoping, writing, editing and managing user-centred content for a range of platforms, tools and transactional services.
* Evidence-based design: using data and research to design evidence-based solutions to complex problems, creating prototypes to share and test design proposals.
* Accessibility and inclusion: making services accessible to the greatest range of people and needs.
* Standards and quality: driving and embedding content standards, guidelines and processes that promote quality, consistency and best practice.
* Managing people and leading: managing and mentoring high-performing content teams, providing them with guidance, training and constructive feedback within a supportive, collaborative and inclusive environment.
Our skills align with the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework Digital, Data and Technology Profession Capability Framework - GOV.UK )
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* Strategy and advocacy
* Content design
* Evidence-based design
* Accessibility and inclusion
* Standards and quality
* Managing people and leading
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £73,900, Home Office contributes £21,408 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Why work for us...
* A highly competitive pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
* 25 days annual leave on appointment rising 1 day per year up to 30 days, plus 8 days public holidays and 1 day for the King's Birthday.
* Flexible working options to enable you to achieve the work life balance that is right for you including; Full time, part-time, flexi time, compressed hours and job sharing.
* A hybrid working model of a minimum 60% of your contracted hours in the workplace and 40% remote.
* Training and development opportunities tailored to your role, including access to technical and professional accreditations.
* Access to funded qualifications (subject to approval)
* A capability allowance reviewed annually.
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
* Enhanced parental leave schemes.
* Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards.
This link is to a short guide to employee benefits: Benefits - Home Office Careers
Things you need to know
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, 1000-word personal statement.
The CV will be scored for all candidates. Candidates who achieve the minimum pass score for their CV will then have their personal statement scored. Both the CV and personal statement should include all relevant experience that relates to the essential criteria listed in the advert and role description. Use STAR format in your examples and consider tips on how to write your personal statement.
Remove information that identifies you (for example your name, age or place of education) so that you will be judged on merit alone and not your personal background, circumstances, race or gender.
(Do NOT include e-mail addresses or links to online profiles, resumés, or prior work, either personal or business. Active links or e-mail addresses will result in your application being rejected)
Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism, copying, and generating of examples/ answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If detected, the application may be withdrawn from the process.
Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all civil servants.
Sift Stage
The sift will be held on the CV and Personal Statement. Please read the Essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirements.
Interview Stage
Candidates shortlisted will be invited to an interview which will explore your technical skills and experience.
Presentation
If you are invited to interview, you will be sent a content design task before your interview. At the beginning of the interview, you will be asked to give a 10 minute presentation based on your task and then asked questions that explore your technical skills and experience.
Sift and interview dates
Sift will be conducted week commencing 15th October 2025.
Interviews will be held week commencing 3rd November 2025.
Interviews will be conducted remotely via MS Teams.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
Further Information
We value diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from the widest diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. We particularly encourage applications from women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ as they are currently under-represented in the Home Office at this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office. Applicants can raise any queries to the email address at the bottom of the advert.
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.
Reserve list
A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
UK residency and security requirements
Please note that this role requires Security Check (SC) clearance, which would normally need 5 years' UK residency in the past 5 years.
However, in exceptional circumstances security clearance applications for candidates who have been present in the UK for at least 3 of last 5 years may be considered. Failure to meet this residency requirement will result in your security clearance application being rejected.
Visa Sponsorship
We are unable to sponsor any individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas as we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License.
Capability Allowance
The advertised role is part of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession. This role has access to a Digital Capability-Based Allowance. Applicants who are successful at interview will be invited to complete a Capability and Skills Assessment post-interview. Any allowance awarded will be based on the assessment of your capability against the six skills advertised for this role. Please see the attached candidate pack for more information.
The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role, and are non-pensionable. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time.
For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance. New entrants to the Civil Service will start on the pay range minimum. For existing civil servants, our policies on level transfer and promotion will apply.
The advertised role is part of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession. This role has access to a Digital Capability-Based Allowance. Applicants who are successful at interview will be invited to complete a Capability and Skills Assessment post-interview. Any allowance awarded will be based on the assessment of your capability against the six skills advertised for this role. Please see the Home Office Pay Framework Allowance Careers page for more information.
The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role, and are non-pensionable. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time.
For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance. The pay ranges for this role are National: £73,900-£81,290 and London: £77,900 -£85,690. New entrants to the Civil Service will start on the pay range minimum. For existing civil servants, our policies on level transfer and promotion will apply.
Job offers to this post are made on the basis of merit. We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same competencies and essential skills.
Working at the Home Office
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 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
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.
If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre- stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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 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 are 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.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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 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)
* 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
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.
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
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
Job contact :
* Name : AC Recruitment Team
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.