Senior Interaction Designer

Hard Problems; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Cycle to Work

Childcare Voucher scheme

Pension contributions

Job summary

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is seeking a Senior Interaction Designer for the Digital Planning team. You will shape user interactions, guide design decisions, and mentor junior designers. The role spans multiple offices with flexible patterns and remote interview options.

You will lead evidence-based design, mentor staff, and advocate for users while delivering accessible, testable service designs in a collaborative setting.

Qualifications

• Lead evidence-based design for large projects with complex user needs.
• Mentor junior designers and guide design practices.
• Balance user needs with technical constraints and business goals.
• Apply accessibility standards across services.
• Communicate design decisions clearly to stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Design accessible, simple services aligned with government standards.
• Line manage and mentor junior interaction designers.
• Advocate for users and translate needs into designs.
• Create prototypes (interactive and code-based) for testing.
• Map journeys and visualise problems to inform the team.
• Collaborate in multidisciplinary teams and support research.

Skills

Evidence-based design leadership

Mentoring junior staff

Prototyping (interactive & code-based)

User-centred design

Accessibility standards

Stakeholder communication

Job description

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is a UK government department whose work spans housing policy, local councils, and community development. Its Digital Planning programme is a dedicated team within MHCLG working to modernise England's planning system through digital tools and services.

The role

This Senior Interaction Designer position sits within the Digital Planning team. You would determine the best way for users to interact with services, shaping overall flows and individual design elements. The role also carries line management responsibility for junior interaction designers, supporting the growth of the wider design team.

What you would do

• Design accessible, simple services consistent with government standards and MHCLG guidelines, drawing on best practice across the organisation.
• Line manage, support, and mentor interaction designers, allocating tasks and providing guidance, training, and constructive feedback.
• Advocate for users and their needs, translating them into effective, accessible service designs.
• Create prototypes and concepts (including interactive and code-based prototypes) to communicate and test ideas with users, refining them based on evidence.
• Map user journeys and processes, and visualise design problems to support team understanding.
• Collaborate within multidisciplinary teams on large, complex services by facilitating design processes, participating in research activities and workshops, and communicating design decisions to teams and stakeholders.

What they are looking for

• Experience leading evidence-based design for significant projects with complex user needs and multiple stakeholders, including mentoring junior staff in these methodologies.
• Experience managing prototyping and concept creation for high-impact projects, including advanced techniques such as interactive and code-based prototyping.
• Experience managing the interaction design process for complex projects, balancing user needs, technical constraints, and business objectives.
• Experience applying accessibility standards and understanding how the internet works, including relevant technology constraints.
• Experience coaching and mentoring other interaction designers and providing constructive feedback.
• Experience advocating for user-centred design to varied audiences and stakeholders in a clear, accessible way.

Working arrangements

The role is based across four office locations: Bristol, Darlington, Manchester, and Wolverhampton. Flexible working patterns are supported, including full-time, part-time, job share, and flexible hours. Interviews are currently held remotely via video call. MHCLG does not offer visa sponsorship; applicants must have a valid right to work in the UK for the duration of employment. The role requires a baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) check.

Pay and benefits

The salary is £60,230 (National). MHCLG contributes £17,448 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme (an employer contribution of 28.97%). Additional benefits include tailored career pathways, flexible working, a Childcare Voucher scheme, and a Cycle to Work scheme.