Content Designer - IPO - HEO

Manchester Digital; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency is seeking a Content Designer to contribute to digital transformation efforts. The successful candidate will write clear, user-centred content, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and promote best practices in content design. This role requires excellent communication skills and the ability to influence stakeholders. Flexibility with hybrid working arrangements is available.

Qualifications

• Experience in writing plain English content that complies with GOV.UK standards.
• Experience with user-centred design methods using user research insights.
• Knowledge of agile working and collaboration with design professionals.

Responsibilities

• Write clear, informative content for digital services.
• Collaborate on content design and user research.
• Ensure services meet GOV.UK Service Standard.

Skills

User-centred design

Plain English writing

Collaboration

Presentation skills

Content guidelines documentation

Tools

GOV.UK Style Guide

GOV.UK Design System

HTML

CSS

Job description

Location

Newport, NP10 8QQ

About The Job

Job summary
Please note: Applicants should review all aspects of this advert to ensure a thorough understanding. If reviewing via a screen reader, please note that the Job summary, Job description, Person specification, Benefits and Things you need to know sections have been emphasised

Content Designer

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is seeking a content designer to contribute to its digital transformation. This role involves designing user-centred public services at scale within multidisciplinary teams, aligning with Government Design Principles. Our designers use plain English to make complex processes and guidance easy to understand. They help people get the information they need; in the way they need it. Key responsibilities include working as part of a user-centred design team to resolve complex challenges and promoting best practices and standards in content design. The successful candidate will be proactive, take ownership of design activities (like facilitating critiques and documenting content guidelines), and possess excellent collaboration, presentation, and communication skills to work effectively with various stakeholders.

Find out more on our Design in Government blog.

Working Style

This role will be carried out in-line with IPO Hybrid working arrangements where staff are currently expected to spend at least 20% of their time working onsite from one of our offices. This role is based in our Newport Office. The requirement for attendance at an office location can vary by role so we would encourage candidates to discuss working arrangements with the recruiting manager to agree a reasonable balance between working from home and the office.

Job Description

Main duties consist of but are not limited to:

• Write clear, informative content for our digital services.
• Make good decisions and can recognise when to ask for further guidance and support.
• Support and contribute to the IPO designer community of practice, helping to share knowledge, learning and best practice.
• Apply content design best practice and principles across products and services.
• Collaborate with interaction designers and user researchers to design digital services that are usable and accessible to all users.
• Be comfortable presenting your designs as part of a collaborative feedback process.
• Build relationships across Intellectual Property Office and government to focus on the needs of our users and to influence stakeholders.
• Use the GOV.UK Style Guide, in house IPO content style guide and GOV.UK Design System to create high-quality content.
• Play an important role in ensuring that services meet the GOV.UK Service Standard and confidently present evidence at service assessments.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience in writing plain English content that is accessible, usable and complies with writing styles and standards, such as the GOV.UK writing style.
• Experience of user-centred design methods and using user research insights to inform content design decisions.
• Knowledge of agile ways of working, and experience of working with user researchers, service and interaction designer and other user-centred design professions.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders and ability to negotiate important design decisions.
• Comfortable in designing collaboratively and in the open and engaging with people in a variety of ways (for example, workshops or co-design activities).
• Can work to tight deadlines and manage their workload across several projects.

Desirable Criteria

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.

• Experience or understanding of service blueprints and journey mapping diagrams.
• Experience of working with HTML and CSS prototypes, for example the GOV.UK Prototype Kit.

How To Apply

Click the 'Apply now' button and complete the application form by providing the following:

CV

• Upload an anonymised copy of your current CV.
• Make sure it clearly shows how you meet the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification.

500-word Personal Statement

• Use this to explain why you're suitable for the role.
• Structure your statement around the essential criteria in the Person Specification.
• Make sure to provide clear examples to show how you meet each requirement.

AI Usage

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

For further information on the sift and interview stages of this recruitment campaign, please head to our 'Things you need to know' section below.

Please visit our Civil Service Careers page - IPO – Recruitment Support , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

If you require job-specific information, please contact Dominic Read.

E-mail: [e-mail]

Telephone: [phone]