Senior User Researcher

Maritime and Coastguard Agency; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service pension

Hybrid working

25 days annual leave

Staff discount portal

Job summary

Maritime and Coastguard Agency is seeking a Senior User Researcher to lead planning, design, and execution of user research across complex services. You will champion user needs and ensure alignment with public sector standards and accessibility.

The role sits within the MCA Digital and Technology function, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to deliver user-centred digital services and strategic improvements. Hybrid working is supported.

Qualifications

• Previous experience of leading, planning, designing, and conducting appropriate user research in an AGILE project environment.
• Experience in analysing both quantitative and qualitative data to produce user experience artifacts.
• Strong understanding of user-centred practices.
• Awareness of the importance of inclusive research.

Responsibilities

• Leading user research that informs service design and policy development.
• Developing personas, journey maps, stories and other artifacts from research insights.
• Engaging with end users to gather needs and interactions with products and services.
• Evaluating qualitative and quantitative research to uncover user needs and behaviours.
• Presenting findings with robust, actionable recommendations.

Skills

User research leadership

AGILE environment

Qualitative analysis

Quantitative analysis

User-centred design

Job description

Senior User Researcher

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Location: Southampton (This role is suitable for hybrid working)

Salary: £44,241 - A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Contract Type: Permanent – Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Available Positions: 1

The MCA Digital and Technology function delivers world-class services through technology innovation, strategic transformation, and customer-focused solutions. The Digital and AI team leads the Agency's digital, AI, and innovation strategies, while the User-Centred Design team ensures services are designed around user needs and business objectives. Through expert user research and service design practices, they help create accessible, effective, and user-focused digital services that support the MCA's mission and deliver meaningful outcomes.

The Senior User Researcher leads the planning, design, and delivery of user research to understand user needs, shape services, and inform policy, strategy, and product development. Working within multidisciplinary teams, they champion the voice of the user, ensuring services are accessible, intuitive, and aligned with GDS standards. They manage supplier research outputs, influence decision-making through evidence-based insights, and help deliver inclusive digital services that meet both user and business needs.

Top Responsibilities

• Responsible for leading user research that helps shape digital experiences across complex service areas.
• Generate insights gained from research into formulas to increase the understanding of user needs by developing user personas, journey maps, stories and other artifacts.
• Understand and engage with end users and target audiences to gather information about their needs and how they interact with products and services, to discover what requires research, design, usability testing and continuous improvement.
• Evaluate qualitative and quantitative research to uncover user needs and behaviours.
• Confidently present and promote findings to set out robust and actionable recommendations for services.

Benefits

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King's birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

About You

• Previous experience of leading, planning, designing, and conducting appropriate user research in an AGILE project environment.
• Experience in analysing both quantitative and qualitative data to produce user experience artifacts.
• Strong understanding of user-centred practices.
• Awareness of the importance of inclusive research.

This vacancy closes at 23:55 on Sunday 6th September