Senior User Researcher

NECSWS; Remote; GBP 46,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital studio seeks a Senior User Researcher to lead user research projects and advocate for inclusive design practices. This role demands significant experience in delivering user research and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams on complex projects. You will champion user-centered design principles while managing a team and driving effective research outcomes. The position offers a competitive salary and the flexibility of remote or hybrid working, aimed at fostering an innovative and inclusive environment.

Benefits

Private Medical Cover

25 days paid holiday

Group Pension Plan

Free access to LinkedIn Learning

Personal learning budget

Annual team and company away-days

Qualifications

• Significant experience in delivering user research projects.
• Able to lead and facilitate user research activities on complex projects.
• Proficient in ethical inclusive research practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver effective user research outcomes.
• Support and manage team members in user research activities.
• Champion user-centered design approach with clients.

Skills

Multidisciplinary teams

Inclusive research

User Research to GDS service standards

Qualitative analysis and synthesis

Facilitation

Service Design

Written communication

Recommendation & implementation

Stakeholder management

Managing complexity and ambiguity

Job description

• Compensation: GBP 46,000 - GBP 65,000 - yearly

Company Description

Come join us and make a difference in the world!

We’reNEC Digital Studio.whileyou read this ad, our software is helping to dispatch ambulances, support families, keep trains on the move,locatemissingpeopleand even test the hearing of newborn babies.

Working with us,you’llbe helping our 3,000+ employees push the boundaries ofwhat’spossible and support amazing public services.
We work with governments, hospitals, police forces, housing providers, local authorities, charities and more. We help them pay financial support faster, improve diagnosis and treatments for patients and respond to emergencies in the right way.The more we do, the more our customers can do for others. And together, we make a world of difference.

At NEC Digital Studio, we believe in design practices that make the world more human.

NEC Digital Studio was created to put people at the centre ofservices, positively changing how they experiencethe world. Everything we design,buildandmaintainismade for life.

Our mission is to empowerorganisations to be more effective,inclusiveandsustainable, through tools,systems and experiencesthat are intelligent,integratedand intuitive for all.

As a people-first digital studio,we aredesigning anddeveloping evidence-led solutions at scale totransform the services used by everyone, every day. Wespecialisein working withseldom heardvoicesanddiverseuser groups. Wepracticeparticipatoryco-designandethical research.Our teams are experts inaccessibility and digitalinclusion

Location:UK - Remote or Hybrid, Subject to Location

Salary:£46-65,000subject to location and experience

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Job Description

Whatwe’relookingfor:

We’relooking for a Senior User Researcher withsignificant experiencein delivering user research projects.The focus of your role will be to plan,facilitateand lead user research activities on a variety of projects.You’lloften be working with multidisciplinary teams on complex projects where autonomy and project management will be important.

We’reon thehuntforsomeonewhowillchampionourvalues: to carepassionately, befluentin people,believeinyourcraft,pushconvention, be open tochange, and tovalueeachother.

Wework with abroadrange of clients, some ofwhomarecompletelynew to user-centreddesign (UCD).Thismeansyou’llalsoplay a keyroleinchampioningourUCDapproach.

The role may also involve:

• Leading and directing projects –You’lllead multidisciplinary teams and clients in the pursuit of inclusive,accessibleand effectiveresearch outcomes.
• Team support and management –You’llhelp to support theuser researchteam by inspiring and line managing team members, including overseeing appraisals and professional development.
• Defining and refining practice –You’llhelp to define the way our disciplines work together, and progress the way NEC Digital Studio deliversinclusive, accessible, and effectivedesign.
• Supporting new business –You’llhelp NEC Digital Studioidentifyand win projectsby spotting opportunities with clients and helping with proposals and pitches.
• Supporting our Design School with the development and delivery of courses

How we work:

We work with central and local government, the NHS, voluntary, not-for-profit, and private sector organisations.

We workhand-in-handwith our clients and sometimeswe’reembedded in their teams for projects.You’llmove on to different sectors after 3 - 12 months because we want you to get a variety of experiences, from applying GDS (government digital service) standards, to improving customer buy-in. Beyond individual projects, NEC Digital Studio’sUser Researcherssupport each other at weeklymeet-upswhere we share our work, discuss its wider implications, and learn about methods.

You’llalso broaden your skills by working closely with members of our Digital teams, including interaction and content designers, and developers.

All ofour User Researchers are supported by more senior members of the User Research team. They look after yourwellbeing,help you set goals andobjectivesand provide feedback to help you grow.

Qualifications

Your skills and experience:

We’dlike to hear from you if you have skills or experience in some of these areas:

• Multidisciplinary teams – Leadingand advocating for, the user research activities on a project. Working with the wider team (including Service Design and Digital roles) to deliver insightful project outcomes
• Inclusive research – Conducting user research in an ethical way that ensures the safety of everyone involved. This includes activelyidentifyingaccessibility needs of users and being confident inmaking adjustmentsfor these.
• User Research to GDS service standards – planning and conducting research activities across the different agile phases of a project.
• Qualitative analysis and synthesis – working with findings from user research to produce representative user journeys, userstoriesand user needs.
• Facilitation – skilled in a variety of sessions, from user interviews and usability testing to co-analysis and co-synthesis sessions; guiding other stakeholders through these, clearly explaining the processes to enable them to engage fully and contribute.
• Service Design – you have an interest in the discipline or some experience in service design thinking and outcomes
• Written communication – write and share findings in an engaging and meaningful way to colleagues and stakeholders.
• Recommendation & implementation – Work collaboratively with the wider design team,expertsand clients to produce clear insights that will enable project teams to make informed design decisions.
• Proactive and autonomous –you can lead the conversation, and look for ways toparticipateand add value
• Stakeholder management – you know how to negotiate and guide clients and stakeholders towards positive outcomes that deliver outcomes within budget.
• Managing complexity and ambiguity –UCD projects are complex and messy!You’reup for leaping into the unknown, supporting our team members and clients to navigate the uncertainty that comes withUCDprojects
• Proactive and autonomous – you can lead the conversation, and look for ways toparticipateand add value

Additional Information

We pride ourselves in offering an excellent benefits package, including an aboveaverage pension scheme. When you join the team at NEC Software Solutions, you are provided with the following:

• Private Medical Cover funded by NEC for Employees (with theoptionto add family members at anadditionalcost)
• 25 days paid holiday with theoptionto buy/sell (FTE)
• 4 x basic salarylife assurance coverfunded by NEC (with theoptionto increase cover at anadditionalcost)
• A Group Pension Plan with fantastic employer contributionsup to a maximum of 8.5%
• Aselectionof flexible benefits to suit your individual needs
• All colleagues get free access to LinkedIn Learning. Over 15,000 courses covering a huge breadth of subjects. Learn about what you like, when you like, how you like.
• Give back days
• Annual team and company away-days
• Personal learning budget

Other information:

• Candidates must be able todemonstratea pre-existing right to work and travel within the UK. Documentary evidence will berequired.
• All offers are subject to satisfactory vetting,referencesand occupational health checks.
• Depending on the nature of the role a DisclosureBarring Service (DBS) check may also berequired.

NEC Software Solutions is an equal opportunities employer, welcoming applications from all communities.If yourequireany reasonable adjustments or have specific accessibility needs during the recruitment or interview process, please feel free to share these with us. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accommodating experience for all candidates.

We receive applicants from multipledifferent sources- so the application process may vary. Once you have chosen to apply the key things we would like to see in your applications are:

• A CV
• A Cover Letter - tell us why you thinkyou’da good fit for the role and why you want to work for NEC Digital Studio. Please aim to keep your covering letter to 1000 words.
• A presentation of no more than 5 pages on a project or process that you led, whichdemonstratesyour qualification for the role. This could be based on an extract from your portfolio. The example should frame the context and the challenge,demonstratehow you met that challenge and what the results were. If you are selected for an interview and you will have up to 10 minutes to present it to us.