User Researcher

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK Government Department is seeking a User Researcher to improve services through user-centered research. This role involves planning and conducting research activities, analyzing data, and collaborating with various teams to implement findings. Candidates should have experience in agile teams and strong communication skills, with a focus on accessibility and inclusivity. Benefits include flexible working options and a significant pension contribution.

Benefits

Learning and development tailored to your role

Flexible working options

Culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Civil Service pension with employer contribution of 28.97%

Qualifications

• Experience of working as a user researcher in an agile team.
• Demonstrable skills in a range of user research methods.
• Strong understanding of user-centered design principles.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, and prepare user research activities.
• Conduct user research using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Analyse research data and communicate findings effectively.

Skills

User research methods

Data analysis

Strong communication skills

Job description

Here at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), we work on things that make a real difference to people's lives. Whether it's through the homes we live in, the work of our local councils, or the communities we're all a part of, our work is at the top of the political agenda.

We have ambitious and far-reaching outcomes to achieve this year and, if you're thinking of joining us, there's never been a more exciting time. We have circa 3,500 staff who are based in 20 offices across the UK. We are recruiting into our Homes for Ukraine team who are supporting a new caseworking system that helps local authorities support people fleeing the war in Ukraine; our Data Analytics Platform - used by our analysts to help inform government policy; and our Elections Directorate who are implementing the government's elections strategy, including introduction of votes for 16 and 17-year-olds, improvements to voter registration and changes to voter identification.

Role Description

Our User Researchers plan, design and carry out research activities with real users. Our research helps teams get a deep understanding of the people that use government services and of colleagues who use different systems and tools to deliver services. Your research will inform our policy, services, content, and interaction design so that services work well for users and do what they are supposed to.

As a User Researcher you'll:

• Work independently to plan, design and prepare a range of user research activities to support the design, development and continuous improvement of our services
• Conduct user research using a range of research methods, selecting the appropriate method, both qualitative and quantitative, depending on the requirements of the work you're doing
• Analyse research data and identify actionable findings and outcomes, which you'll communicate with the digital and policy people you work with
• Share research through a combination of presentations at show and tells, stand-ups and wider team meetings, designing and maintaining research outputs on the team wall and creating formal reports
• Establish collaborative working practices with disciplines including Content Designers, Interaction Designers, Product Managers, and Developers, turning your user research findings into stories and actions that lead to valuable service improvements and solutions

Benefits

MHCLG want to bring in a diverse workforce at all levels. Our application system is designed to remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment system. We offer a range of benefits, including:

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Requirements

We are looking for:

• Experience of working as a user researcher in an agile team
• Demonstrable skills in a range of user research methods, techniques for analysis of research data, synthesis of findings and presentation of clear findings that are usable
• A demonstrable track record of placing the user at the centre of design and delivery
• The ability to build and reach consensus with stakeholders and team members of other disciplines
• Strong communication skills
• An understanding of how user research can support accessibility and inclusivity

The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of the following success profiles elements: Behaviours (Changing and Improving, Working Together) Technical Strength