Principal User Research Specialist

4 weeks ago

Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom Department for Education Full time

Job Overview

This position is part of the Digital Data Technology (DDT) sector, within the Funding Service Delivery team. Our team operates in close collaboration with the funding directorate of the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), which is an executive agency under the Department for Education, responsible for overseeing funding in education and skills for individuals of all ages.

The Service Delivery division manages one of the largest funding operations in the government sector. We ensure that over £70 billion allocated for education and training is distributed, contracted, and disbursed accurately and punctually through our digital Funding Service, which comprises both internal and external products. Our focus is on delivering a superior customer experience through efficient service and operations.

As a Senior User Researcher, you will join a collaborative and driven team dedicated to enhancing the user experience related to the receipt and management of educational funding, as well as improving the internal processes for our operators. We perceive the education funding service as encompassing not only the digital aspects but also the operational workflows, the data involved, and the entire user journey, both online and offline. All divisions involved in this service adopt a comprehensive approach, prioritizing user needs.

User researchers at the Department for Education are responsible for planning, designing, and executing research activities with users, which enable teams to gain profound insights into the individuals utilizing our services across education and social care. This research underpins our policy development, service propositions, content creation, and interaction design, ensuring that our services are user-friendly and aligned with our policy objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

As a Senior User Researcher, you will be a seasoned professional capable of planning and leading user research initiatives within larger teams and across complex service areas. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Conducting user research in intricate subject domains, while mentoring and developing fellow user researchers to enhance research quality, ethics, and safety.
  • Fostering user-centered methodologies within teams in your program area, guiding other user researchers.
  • Facilitating inclusive research practices that engage a diverse range of users, including those with special needs and other underrepresented groups.
  • Acting as a service assessor, evaluating DfE services against the government service standard.
  • Effectively communicating user research insights to both the team and the broader organization to influence strategic decision-making.
  • Participating actively in the DfE user research community, contributing to the development and enhancement of research practices across the department.

Person Specification:

Essential Criteria:

  • Research Methods and Planning: Proficiency in planning and executing complex user research utilizing various methodologies within multidisciplinary teams.
  • Analysis and Synthesis: Ability to analyze and synthesize intricate quantitative and qualitative data, engaging teams and stakeholders, and presenting clear, actionable insights.
  • Inclusive Research: Experience in conducting research with and advocating for a diverse range of users, including those with additional needs and hard-to-reach demographics.
  • Ethics and Safeguarding: Strong understanding of research ethics and ensuring the safety of participants, teams, and yourself during research activities.
  • Research Leadership: Collaborating with teams and stakeholders to promote user-centered practices, ensuring that user insights inform impactful decisions.
  • Coaching and Mentoring: Supporting the professional growth of junior colleagues, providing guidance on their work and assuring its quality.

Desirable Criteria:

  • Agile Working: Experience in delivering user research within agile digital delivery teams.
  • Government Service Standard: Familiarity with delivering and assessing services in accordance with the Government Service Standard.

Benefits:

Successful applicants currently holding a permanent position in the Civil Service should be aware that their salary upon appointment will be determined by the Department's transfer and promotion policies.

As a member of the Department for Education, you will have the opportunity to join the highly regarded Civil Service Pension Scheme, recognized as one of the most generous in the UK, with an average employer contribution of 27%.

You will receive 25 days of annual leave, increasing by one day each year up to a maximum of 30 days after five years of service. Additionally, all staff benefit from the King's Birthday privilege holiday and eight bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, including job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time, and compressed hours.

Most employees will work in a hybrid model, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Any changes to these arrangements will require agreement with the line manager and must align with the role's requirements.

Travel to your primary office location will not be reimbursed by the Department for Education, but costs for travel to a non-primary office will be covered.

As an organization dedicated to supporting education and lifelong learning, we provide excellent professional development opportunities for our staff.

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