Details
Reference number
436295
Salary
£42,382 - £50,220
£46,725 - £50,220 (London) / £42,893 - £45,653 (National) Based on capability. The base salary of this grade is £46,169 for London and £42,382 for other locations. Offers made above this will be made up with a specialist pay allowance.
GBP
Job grade
Senior Executive Officer
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
GDS - Digital Centre Design
Type of role
Digital
Information Technology
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, 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
Bristol, London, Manchester
About the job
Job summary
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.
Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:
* joining up public sector services
* harnessing the power of AI for the public good
* strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
* elevating leadership and investing in talent
* funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
* committing to transparency and driving accountability
We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK's geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.
We're part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.
The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you'll be working with some of the world's most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.
Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation's highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need
Government Digital, Data Workforce and Capability:
Join Government Digital and Data Workforce and Capability, where our mission is to ensure the government possesses the necessary talent to drive digital transformation and overcome the challenges ahead. We're dedicated to enhancing the government's capacity to attract, recruit, nurture, and retain top tier digital and data professionals.
As part of the team, you will help shape the future of digital strategy and capabilities, providing vital insights that support cross departmental policies, standards, and strategies.
We're entrusted with devising strategies and delivering results for a community of 30,000+ digital innovators, aspiring talent, and the broader civil service. Our commitment extends to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and dynamic culture where individuals thrive and excel.
Want to know more about who Government Digital and Data are? Click here
We are responsible for:
* Delivering the cross-government Blueprint for modern digital government
* Digital, Data and Technology Strategy and Standards, like the Technology Code of Practice, the Service Standard and Open Standards
* Cross-government performance and assurance, including Spend Controls
* Government Digital and Data Capability Framework
Job description
Join the Workforce and Capability Division, where our mission is to equip government with the talent and insight needed to drive digital transformation and tackle future challenges. As a mid-weight User Researcher, you'll play a key role in shaping cross-government strategies through evidence-based insights and user-centred design.
You'll be part of a multidisciplinary agile team working on the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework, which defines roles and skills across digital, data and technology. Your research will inform updates to this framework, ensuring it remains relevant, usable, and aligned with the needs of practitioners and departments.
Your responsibilities will include; planning, designing and conducting user research activities to understand the needs of digital and data professionals across government. You'll collaborate with stakeholders, communities of practice, and expert working groups to gather insights that support recruitment, workforce planning, and skills development.
You'll work closely with content designers and policy leads to ensure our frameworks, standards and propositions are grounded in real user needs. Your work will help shape principles, policies and standards that underpin a consistent and effective approach to capability building across government.
As a User Researcher you'll:
* plan, design, and prepare a range of user research activities to support the design, development, and continuous improvement of the Workforce Transformation Team (Resourcing, Pay and Reward, Capability and Strategic Workforce Planning).
* apply techniques for the analysis of research data and synthesis of findings.
* present clear findings that both technical and non-technical colleagues can understand and use.
* work closely with subject matter experts to turn user research findings into stories and actions that lead to valuable improvements.
* design and conduct your research so the findings can be embedded into an agile workflow.
Person specification
We're interest in people who have:
* demonstratable experience in analysing complex problems faced by teams and strategically aligning user research activities to inform decision-making and drive actionable outcomes
* experience in planning and conducting user research projects
* the ability to present clear findings that colleagues can understand and use
* experience in identifying important stakeholders and communicating with them clearly and regularly
* experience in advocating for user research and engaging colleagues and stakeholders to help inform decisions
* experience in analysing research data to inform prioritisation and decision-making
Benefits
There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:
* flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
* a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
* 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
* an extra day off for the King's birthday
* an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
* career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
* paid volunteering leave
* a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
* job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
* advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
* death in service benefits
* cycle to work scheme and facilities
* access to an employee discounts scheme
* 10 learning days per year
* volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
* access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning
Any move to Government Digital Service 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
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
Things you need to know
Selection process details
The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:
* a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and for you to answer 3 application questions
* a 60 minute video interview. As part of the interview process there will be a presentation task, details around the task will be provided to shortlisted candidates.
Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:
* please share your experience of understanding complex problems a team is trying to solve and how you have aligned user research activities to provide insights that drive decisions and actions
In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We'll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.
For this role we'll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:
* Working Together
We'll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for the User Researcher role:
* User research methods
* Inclusive research
* Analysis and synthesis
* Stakeholder relationship management
Recruitment Timeline
Sift completion: Monday 24th November
Panel interviews: starting Monday 1st December
Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.
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 D&I Strategy.
Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years' UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.
For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.
Sponsorship
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
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.
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.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
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 :
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact GDS- in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission by email: Or in writing: Civil Service Commission, Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ.