Role details
Location: National
Closing date: 25 October
Interviews: Week commencing 9 November
Grade: 7
Salary:
London: £63,343–£70,725
National: £58,511–£65,329
Working pattern: Full-time, part-time and flexible working
Contract type: Permanent
Number of vacancies: 3
MoJ candidates currently on a specialist grade can retain that grade on a lateral transfer.
We offer a hybrid working model, balancing remote work with time in your local office. View office locations on this map.
Unless you are an existing member of Justice Digital, Data and Science, the only London location being recruited to is 10 South Colonnade, E14 4PU. We are no longer recruiting to 102 Petty France, SW1H 9AJ.
The role
We are recruiting Senior User Researchers to join the warm and collaborative teams at Justice Digital, Data and Science.
This role aligns with the Senior User Researcher role in the Government Digital and Data Framework.
User Researchers help teams develop a deep understanding of the people who use our services, including citizens, businesses and government colleagues. Their findings enable teams to design and build better services more quickly, at lower cost and risk, and to improve those services continuously using data and evidence.
As a Senior User Researcher at JDDS, you will be an experienced practitioner who can plan and lead research activities within a multidisciplinary team. You will uncover insights about the staff and end users of our complex but fascinating justice system.
You will join a highly supportive community of researchers who meet regularly to share knowledge and project experience in a safe learning environment. You may also work with junior and mid-level User Researchers to assure and improve their research practice.
Background
We design, build and support user-centred digital and technology services for the justice system. These services make a real difference to our staff, members of the public and their families. Millions of people interact with our services, and Digital and Technology plays an important role in improving access to justice and making that experience easier and less distressing.
We are using digital, data, technology and AI to build capability, work smarter and operate more efficiently. We want to create a digitally enabled, end-to-end justice system that 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. Our experts in web development, design, delivery, product management and user research work alongside around 50 organisations, including the courts service and Government Digital Service.
Benefits
You will receive a range of excellent benefits, including:
A generous employer pension contribution of 28.97% through the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
25 days of annual leave, increasing to 30 days after five years of service, plus eight bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday.
Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working, part-time working and compressed hours, to support a positive work–life balance.
Ten percent of working time for personal and professional development.
A £1,000 learning budget for each person, with access to conferences and seminars, professional accreditation, fully funded vocational programmes and e-learning platforms.
Compassionate maternity, adoption and shared parental leave policies, including up to 26 weeks at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay and a further 13 weeks of leave. Maternity support and paternity leave are also available at full pay for two weeks.
Find more details of the benefits we offer here. To picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital, Data and Science, take a look at our blog.
Key responsibilities
Researchers on our teams are:
Skilled in using quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Comfortable with metrics and able to synthesise data quickly.
Strong storytellers and communicators.
Effective collaborators in a dynamic, data-driven and creative environment with diverse stakeholders.
Primary responsibilities
Scope, plan, conduct, analyse and communicate research.
Lead colleagues in analysing and synthesising research data.
Communicate research findings across the organisation.
Work closely with Product Managers, Designers, Data Scientists, Developers and Engineers to turn research findings into actions that create valuable services.
Mentor, support and line-manage mid-level and junior User Researchers.
Educate stakeholders and colleagues on the benefits of user research within their projects.
If this feels like an exciting challenge and you would like to join our team, please read on and apply.
Person specification
Essential criteria
Research: You can demonstrate experience in a wide range of user research methods and help teams adopt them. You can plan research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys. You can advise colleagues on choosing and applying methods to assure best practice.
User-centred and Agile practices: You can demonstrate experience across a range of user-centred practices. You can help inexperienced teams adopt these practices and embed them into Agile workflows. You can advocate for user research and engage potentially sceptical colleagues and stakeholders.
Analysis and synthesis: You can help teams apply methods to analyse research data and synthesise findings. You can collaborate with colleagues on analysis and synthesis, advise on the choice and application of techniques, critique findings to assure best practice and share insights that elevate the user voice.
Inclusive research: You can help teams understand the diversity of government service users and include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities. You can advocate for inclusive practices and help teams design and deliver accessible services. You recognise the ethical implications of planning and carrying out research for both researchers and participants.
Stakeholder relationship management: You can influence stakeholders, manage relationships effectively, build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly.
Research management, leadership and assurance: You can evaluate research quality against accepted professional standards, explain good practice and give constructive feedback to other User Researchers to make sure their work meets those standards.
You must be willing to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance.
We welcome the unique contribution that diverse applicants bring. We do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background, or any other factor.
Our values are Purpose, Humanity, Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and create an inclusive workplace culture.
The Civil Service is committed to attracting, retaining and investing in talent wherever it is found. To learn more, see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
Salary information
The base salary for this role is £63,343–£70,725 in London and £58,511–£65,329 nationally.
New entrants to the Civil Service joining the MoJ are expected to start at the minimum of the pay band.
Existing Civil Servants moving on a level transfer will retain their current base salary or move to the minimum of the role’s pay band, whichever is higher.
Existing Civil Servants who are promoted will either move to the bottom of the new grade’s pay band or receive a 10% uplift, whichever provides the greater increase.
How to apply
Justice Digital, Data and Science recruits using a combination of the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability and Success Profiles frameworks. We will assess a combination of your experience and behaviours during the selection process.
Stage 1: Application and sift
To apply, submit the following as part of your application:
A CV detailing your career history, including relevant qualifications. Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria in the person specification.
A personal statement of no more than 750 words outlining your experience and skills, with clear examples of work undertaken. Use a separate paragraph for each of the following criteria:
Research: Experience using a wide range of user research methods and helping teams adopt them; planning research for services with challenging user needs and complex user journeys; and advising colleagues on method choice and application to assure best practice.
User-centred and Agile practices: Experience of user-centred practices; helping inexperienced teams adopt these practices and embed them in Agile workflows; and advocating for research with potentially sceptical colleagues and stakeholders.
Research management, leadership and assurance: Ability to evaluate research quality against accepted professional standards, explain good practice and give constructive feedback to make sure research meets those standards.
A diverse sift panel will review your CV and personal statement against the criteria above. We operate an anonymous shortlisting process, so please do not include your name or any other identifying details in either document.
If we receive a high volume of applications, we may conduct a pre-sift against the research criterion before the full sift.
Read the application guidance for help with your application.
Stage 2: Interviews
Candidates who meet the required standard will be invited to a panel interview via Microsoft Teams. At interview, you will be assessed against Experience and the following Success Profile behaviours:
Leadership
Working Together
Changing and Improving
Communicating and Influencing
You will also be asked to deliver a presentation. Further details will be provided if you are successful at sift.
Appointments are made strictly in merit order. If two or more candidates receive identical interview scores, the research criterion will be used as the lead criterion to determine the final merit order.
If you are unsuccessful for this role but demonstrate the capability for a lower-level role, we may discuss that opportunity with you and offer you the position without requiring a further application.
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, from which further appointments may be made.
Use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements must be truthful, factually accurate and drawn directly from your own experience.
If plagiarism is identified, including presenting another person’s ideas or experiences, or AI-generated content, as your own, applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Read the candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Terms and conditions
Please review the terms and conditions, which explain how we recruit and provide further information about the role and salary arrangements.
If you have any questions, contact digitalanddatarecruitment@justice.gov.uk.