Content Designer - IPO - HEO

Manchester Digital; Newport; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency is looking for a Content Designer in Newport to create user-centred digital content. The successful candidate will engage in multidisciplinary teams to simplify complex processes and promote best practices. This role supports hybrid working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Experience in writing accessible content compliant with GOV.UK writing standards.
• Knowledge of user research insights to inform content decisions.
• Ability to manage workloads across several projects.

Responsibilities

• Write clear, informative content for digital services.
• Collaborate with designers to create usable and accessible services.
• Influence stakeholders and build relationships across the organization.

Skills

Writing plain English content

User-centred design methods

Collaboration and negotiation

Agile ways of working

Tools

HTML

CSS

Job description

£35,579 - £45,536 maximum includes additional allowance

Full-time (Permanent) £35,579 - £45,536 maximum includes additional allowance
Published on 8 September 2025 Deadline 22 September 2025

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.

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.

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

• 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.

Artificial Intelligence (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.

If you require job-specific information, please contact Dominic Read.
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]