Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York About the job Job summary Civil Service Jobs is used by over 3 million candidates per month to view and find vacancies across the Civil Service. Each year it handles over 2 million applications and advertises 140,000 posts. The live service is used by 219 organisations to advertise their vacancies, with more joining and manage their recruitment processes. Currently, Civil Service Jobs is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provision that has been configured and enhanced to meet Civil Service recruitment, digital and security standards. Civil Service Jobs enables the whole of government to recruit people more efficiently, without which the government could not deliver its work: hence our service brings far-reaching benefits for all citizens who will impacted by this change. We enjoy enabling people to find meaningful jobs, and teams to find great colleagues - contributing to a diverse culture that reflects the diversity in the UK. You will join our programme focusing on the design of the new platform that will transform Civil Service Jobs, and help to improve the experience of our users. Weve completed our Discovery and Alpha phases, where we did extensive user research and prototype design, to explore our user needs and potential solutions for the biggest areas of improvement. Weve decided that our service needs to procure rather than building our own, so weve now moved into the Beta procurement phase, which will see the commencement of the new contract during summer 2024, followed by a build and migration phase for all 219 departments to be completed by the end of 2026. The Department: Cabinet Office Digital aspires to make UK Government digital services the best in the world, meeting or exceeding the benchmark set globally by the best public or private sector standards. We are creating a digital culture where user needs are at the heart of everything we build. Through data democratisation, automation, governance and consolidation we will create a better Cabinet Office. As the digital arm of the department, we advise, assure or manage delivery on behalf of our colleagues in the Government People Group in developing their own Government Digital and Data capabilities. This is an exciting opportunity to join CO Digital, to lead on business improvements and otherwise support the Cabinet Office in delivering on the countrys priorities at the heart of the UK Government. Job description We are looking for a Content Designer to join the Civil Service Jobs ATS Transformation programme in Cabinet Office Digital; you will directly contribute in improving our Civil Service Jobs platform with our customers, the wider recruitment service and those who are applying for roles in the Civil Service. As a Content Designer, you will be an experienced practitioner who is capable of understanding our user needs, and creating user-centred content and designs that will make our user experience simpler and more intuitive. Youll be a team player and care deeply about users and improving their experience. You will also take initiative to engage with stakeholders and communicate your design decisions on a regular basis. You will work closely with the multidisciplinary programme team which includes the Digital Product and Delivery team (Senior Product Manager, Delivery Managers, Business Analysts, User Researchers, User-centred Designers, QA Testers etc) and the Supplier product team. In delivering recruitment transformation, our programme will procure and build a new version of our recruitment platform by 2026, which will enhance the recruitment service provision across government. This is an exciting role for someone who is passionate about user centred design and is looking to apply their experience and skills in a large programme of work impacting the whole Civil Service. Main Responsibilities As a Content Designer you will: Lead the development of the content strategy and information architecture for Civil Service Jobs; Create, user-centred and concise content that can be understood by any member of the public; Work with policy colleagues to understand, articulate and challenge policies so they are understood by end-users and citizens; Identify and build strong relationships with stakeholders across the recruitment space, influencing and collaborating with them to improve content quality; Work with colleagues to use analytics data, user feedback and user research to identify the needs of users, map user journeys and inform content strategy and design; Use your content design expertise to review and provide feedback to other content designers on their work, as well as advise other disciplines on content design best practice; Contribute to the management of relationships between your team and other teams across government to ensure consistency and share good practice; Contribute to guidance for government, including content principles and patterns; Contribute to the cross-government and GPG design community; Help colleagues and stakeholders from other disciplines understand what content design is, why its important and how to work with content designers. Person specification Essential Skills The required skills as detailed in the Content Designer capability, at Content Designer or Senior Content Designer level, and in particular: User-centred content design. You can lead the design of content to meet user needs and make complex language and processes easy to understand. You can present the right information in the right format for what users need. You are aware of government accessibility requirements and can design content that works with common assistive technologies; User focus (content design). You understand the range of different users who might access content and services and can identify their needs based on evidence. You can translate user stories into content that meets users needs and propose suitable design approaches; Agile working (content design). You can work with and understand agile methodology and can apply an agile mindset to your work; Content concepts and prototyping. You can choose the best option to make content understandable to different audiences and demonstrate a proposed approach to content changes or improvements. You can build and create a variety of different prototypes, from paper sketches to coded prototypes; Stakeholder relationship management (content design). You can identify important stakeholders and communicate with them clearly and regularly. You can tailor communication to their needs and work with them to build relationships while also meeting user needs; Strategic thinking (content design). You can contribute to content strategies and policies, and can help create content patterns or standards. Desirable Skills Experience working with an external SaaS supplier to deliver user centred design solutions; Experience of working in/with the public sector or across government departments to deliver user centred outcomes. Additional information: A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Communicating and Influencing Making Effective Decisions Changing and Improving Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: User-centred content design. Content concepts and prototyping Stakeholder relationship management (content design). Benefits Alongside your salary of £42,382, Cabinet Office contributes £12,278 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Learning and development tailored to your role. An environment with flexible working options. A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity. A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%. A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills. After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on Monday 3rd February 2025. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application where you will be asked to complete a CV. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. You will also be asked to complete Technical statements as part of your application form. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead technical skill User centred content design. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. Candidates who are successful at sift will be invited to an interview. At interview, you will be assessed against the Behaviour and Technical criteria. Candidates may need to give a presentation and/or undertake a technical exercise at interview. Further details of this will be confirmed to those who are invited to interview. Expected timeline (subject to change) Expected sift date w/c Monday 10th February 2025 Expected interview date/s w/c Monday 24th February 2025 Interview location - Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview. Reasonable Adjustment If a person with disabilities is put 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 menurecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. Further Information A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Any move to Cabinet 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 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-EmploymentChecks.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 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 applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return. This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you. 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 will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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) (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) 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 : Anna Smith Email : Anna.smithcabinetoffice.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : menurecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at infocsc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk. Attachments Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External Opens in new window (pdf, 81kB) Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB) Share this page Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn GMail