Senior User Researcher

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 254480**Salary**:

- £39,428**Job grade**:

- Senior Executive Officer**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- DVSA - Strategy Planning and Performance**Type of role**:

- Customer Insight
- Digital
- Market Research**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Bristol, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, SwanseaAbout the job

**Job summary**:

- To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work _visit our Careers website_._

Are you a User Researcher looking for your next challenge?

Do you want to work on high-profile projects within the public domain?

Can you work with Service Delivery Managers, Product Owners and Business Analysts to improve business processes?

Are you an advocate of user needs-based design?

If so, we would love to hear from you

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency work on high-profile digital products used by millions of people every year. To make an even greater impact we are expanding our team and we need your skills to keep us at the forefront of technology.

**Job description**:
The Senior User Researcher is responsible for the end-to-end planning of user research activities. This will include identification of target audience, creating relationships with identified audience members (this could be members of the public or trade bodies), planning the overall user research approach and choice of appropriate research methodology. It will also include strategies for collecting qualitative and quantitative data, responsibility for tool selection (ensuring security and suitability of any tools used especially with respects to data sensitivity) and determining the appropriate technique for analysing the data and visualising the results. These choices will be balanced against the project aims and objectives, the outcomes expected for our users and the cost effectiveness of the activity.

The post holder will be part of one or more agile / scrum delivery teams within the Digital Services team; working collaboratively with Product Owners, Business Analysts and Technical Colleagues (e.g. software developers, testers) to develop digital solutions that deliver value to customers and the business. A Senior User Researcher contributes data and insight, which will lead to continuous improvement of digital services and products.

Responsibilities include but not limited to:

- Taking end-to-end ownership of user research sessions, from initial concept to implementation. This will involve leading the sessions and setting the scene for end users or members of the public and engaging in a positive and enthusiastic way with a range of service stakeholders.
- Considering the immediate issues of cost and suitability when choosing research methods and will consider the longer-term ramifications for the team in terms of value and benefit. Will be able to articulate the choice of research methods in this way.
- Planning user research activities which encompass the full user research journey, from the recruitment of participants, to designing the research session and reporting on the findings.
- Confidently drawing insights and conclusions from collected research material and using this to shape the strategic direction and design of services.
- Present findings and related design/business recommendations and user insights to project stakeholders at all levels.
- Working closely with product managers, designers and developers to turn user research findings into stories and actions that lead to valuable product and service features.

**Person specification**:
Your experience could include but not limited to:

- Sound knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
- Sound knowledge of using artefacts to share and communicate insights such as user flows, experience maps, experience blueprints, prioritised user needs, user profiles, and test results
- Experienced with data analysis techniques for quantitative and qualitative data sources.
- Experience of identifying research participants and proven experience with tailoring research methods to fit.
- Understanding of interaction design, information architecture and visual design principles.
- Ability to effectively plan and prioritise tasks.
- Ability to prioritise own time and activities with mínimal guidance.
- Proven ability to make effective decisions within fast-moving Agile delivery environment.
- Ability to work flexibly and to tight deadlines.
- Experience of coaching junior researchers.

We are committed to encouraging and enabling our staff to develop in and above their role and will support you through further development opportunities/qualifications.

**Behaviours**:
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

- Delivering at Pace
- Maki