Senior User Researcher Location: National Closing Date: 29th December Interviews: expected w/c 20th January 2025 Grade: 7 (MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer) Salary: London: 61,201 - 69338 (which may include an allowance of up to 2474) National: 56532 - 64048 (which may include an allowance of up to 343) Working pattern : Full time, Part time, Flexible hours Contract Type: Permanent Vacancy number: 1277 We offer a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and time spent in your local office. Office locations can be found ON THIS MAP The Role We re recruiting for Senior User Researchers here at Justice Digital, to be part of our warm and collaborative Prison Digital team. This role aligns against Senior User Researcher role, from the Government Digital and Data Framework User Researchers help our teams develop a deep understanding of our people - citizens, businesses or government colleagues - who use our services. Their findings allow our teams to design and build better services more quickly and at lower cost and risk. And to continuously improve services, based on data and evidence. As a senior user researcher at Justice Digital you ll be an experienced practitioner who can plan and lead user research activities within a multidisciplinary and uncover insights of the staff and end users of our complex but fascinating Justice system. You ll be joining a highly supportive community of researchers who meet regularly to share their knowledge and project experience within a safe learning environment. You may work with other user researchers (junior and mid level) to assure and improve their research practice. Background We design, build and support user-centred digital and technology services for the justice system: services that make a real difference to our staff, members of the public and their families who use them. Millions of people interact with our services, and Digital & Technology play an important role in improving access to justice and making that experience much easier and less distressing. We are using digital, data and technology to build capability, work smarter and more efficiently. We want to create a digitally enabled end-to-end justice system which can adapt and respond to changing needs. We were the first digital team in a government department, and the first to deliver an exemplar service, with experts in web development, design, delivery and product management and user research, alongside around 50 organisations, including the courts service and Government Digital Service (GDS) To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital please take a look at our blog and our Digital and Technology strategy 2025 Key Responsibilities: Researchers on our teams are: Great at using quantitative and qualitative research methods Comfortable with metrics and able to synthesise data quickly Great storytellers and communicators Very good at collaborating in a dynamic, data-driven, creative environment Primary Responsibilities: Scope, plan, conduct, analyse and communicate research Lead colleagues to analyse and synthesise research data Communicate research findings across the organisation. Work closely with product managers, designers and developers to turn user research findings into actions that lead to valuable product and service designs Mentor, support and line manage mid level and junior User Researchers If this feels like an exciting opportunity, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply Benefits 37 hours per week and flexible working options including working from home, working part-time, job sharing, or working compressed hours. A 1k per person learning budget is in place to support all our people, with access to best in class conferences and seminars, accreditation with professional bodies, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms Staff have 10% time to dedicate to develop & grow Generous civil service pension based on defined benefit scheme, with employer contributions of 28.97% from April 1st 2024 ( Contribution Rates ) 25 days leave (plus bank holidays) and 1 privilege day usually taken around the Kings birthday. 5 additional days of leave once you have reached 5 years of service. Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too Wellbeing support including access to the Calm app. Bike loans up to 2500 and secure bike parking (subject to availability and location) Season ticket loans, childcare vouchers and eye-care vouchers. 5 days volunteering paid leave. Free membership to BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. Some offices may have a subsidised onsite Gym. Person Specification Essential Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them. You can plan user research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on the choice and application of research methods to assure best practice. (lead criteria) User-centred and Agile practices. You can understand and demonstrate experience in a range of user-centred practices. You can help inexperienced teams adopt user-centred practices and embed them into their Agile workflow. You can advocate for user research, and engage potentially sceptical colleagues and stakeholders. Analysis and synthesis. You can understand and help teams to apply a range of methods to analyse research data and synthesise findings. You can work collaboratively with colleagues in carrying out analysis and synthesis. You can advise on the choice and application of techniques, and can critique colleagues findings to assure best practice. You can share insights with a range of colleagues and stakeholders to help elevate the user's voice. Inclusive research. You can help teams understand the diversity of users of government services. You can effectively include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities. You can advocate inclusive practices and help teams design and deliver accessible services that work for all users. You recognise the ethical implications when planning and carrying out research for both the researcher and participant. Stakeholder relationship management. You can influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively. You can build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders. Research management, leadership and assurance. You can evaluate the quality of research against accepted professional standards for user research, explain what good practice involves and give constructive feedback to other user researchers to ensure their work meets good practice standards Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance 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. How to Apply Candidates must complete the full application form, including a CV and a statement of suitability ( 750 words max ). Your statement of suitability should describe how you meet the below requirements, as set out in the Person Specification. Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them. You can plan user research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on the choice and application of research methods to assure best practice. (lead criteria) User-centred and Agile practices. You can understand and demonstrate experience in a range of user-centred practices. You can help inexperienced teams adopt user-centred practices and embed them into their Agile workflow. You can advocate for user research, and engage potentially sceptical colleagues and stakeholders. Research management, leadership and assurance. You can evaluate the quality of research against accepted professional standards for user research, explain what good practice involves and give constructive feedback to other user researchers to ensure their work meets good practice standards Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them. You can plan user research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on the choice and application of research methods to assure best practice will be conducted before the sift. Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them will be conducted before the sift. In Justice Digital, we recruit using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We will assess your Experience, Technical Skills and the following Behaviours during the assessment process: Leadership Working together Changing and Improving Communicating and influencing A diverse panel will review your application against the Person Specification above. Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a 1-hour panel interview held via video conference. The interview will be a mix of interview questions and a short User Research task, which will be provided in advance on the interview. Should we receive a high volume of applications, a pre-sift based on Research. You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods, and can help teams to adopt them will be conducted before the sift. Should you be unsuccessful in the role that you have applied for but demonstrate the capability for a role at a lower level, we reserve the right to discuss this opportunity with you and offer you the position without needing a further application. A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made. Terms & Conditions Please review our Terms & Conditions which set out how we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact recruitmentdigital.justice.gov.uk