User Researcher - GDS - SEO

Manchester Digital; City Of London, Manchester, Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

A government digital service is seeking a mid-weight User Researcher to drive user-centered design and support recruitment and workforce planning. The ideal candidate has demonstrable experience in user research methodologies and strong stakeholder communication skills. You will conduct essential research and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop effective strategies for the government’s digital workforce. This role offers an opportunity to impact national digital services.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in analyzing complex problems faced by teams.
• Ability to present clear findings that colleagues can understand.
• Experience in planning and conducting user research projects.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, and conduct user research activities.
• Analyze research data and synthesize findings.
• Present clear findings to colleagues.

Skills

User research methodologies

Stakeholder communication

Data analysis

User-centered design

Job description

£46,725 - £50,220 (London) / £42,893 - £45,653 (National) Based on capability
Published on 7 November 2025 Deadline 17 November 2025

Location

Bristol, London, Manchester

About the job

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

• joining up public sector services
• harnessing the power of AI for the public good
• strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
• elevating leadership and investing in talent
• funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
• committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world‑leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly‑skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest‑priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need.

Government Digital, Data Workforce and Capability:

Join Government Digital and Data Workforce and Capability, where our mission is to ensure the government possesses the necessary talent to drive digital transformation and overcome the challenges ahead. We're dedicated to enhancing the government's capacity to attract, recruit, nurture, and retain top tier digital and data professionals.

As part of the team, you will help shape the future of digital strategy and capabilities, providing vital insights that support cross departmental policies, standards, and strategies.

We're entrusted with devising strategies and delivering results for a community of 30,000+ digital innovators, aspiring talent, and the broader civil service. Our commitment extends to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and dynamic culture where individuals thrive and excel.

Join the Workforce and Capability Division, where our mission is to equip government with the talent and insight needed to drive digital transformation and tackle future challenges. As a mid‑weight User Researcher, you’ll play a key role in shaping cross‑government strategies through evidence‑based insights and user‑centred design.

You’ll be part of a multidisciplinary agile team working on the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework, which defines roles and skills across digital, data and technology. Your research will inform updates to this framework, ensuring it remains relevant, usable, and aligned with the needs of practitioners and departments.

Your responsibilities will include planning, designing and conducting user research activities to understand the needs of digital and data professionals across government. You’ll collaborate with stakeholders, communities of practice, and expert working groups to gather insights that support recruitment, workforce planning, and skills development.

You’ll work closely with content designers and policy leads to ensure our frameworks, standards and propositions are grounded in real user needs. Your work will help shape principles, policies and standards that underpin a consistent and effective approach to capability building across government.

As a User Researcher you’ll:

• plan, design, and prepare a range of user research activities to support the design, development, and continuous improvement of the Workforce Transformation Team (Resourcing, Pay and Reward, Capability and Strategic Workforce Planning).
• apply techniques for the analysis of research data and synthesis of findings.
• present clear findings that both technical and non‑technical colleagues can understand and use.
• work closely with subject matter experts to turn user research findings into stories and actions that lead to valuable improvements.
• design and conduct your research so the findings can be embedded into an agile workflow.

Person specification

We're interested in people who have:

• Demonstrable experience in analysing complex problems faced by teams and strategically aligning user research activities to inform decision‑making and drive actionable outcomes.
• Experience in planning and conducting user research projects.
• The ability to present clear findings that colleagues can understand and use.
• Experience in identifying important stakeholders and communicating with them clearly and regularly.
• Experience in advocating for user research and engaging colleagues and stakeholders to help inform decisions.
• Experience in analysing research data to inform prioritisation and decision‑making.