User Researcher x2

Harvey Nash UK; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvey Nash is recruiting two experienced User Researchers to support public sector digital transformation initiatives. The roles require two days per month on-site in Leeds, with the remainder work conducted remotely, across six-month contracts.

You will join multidisciplinary agile teams to ensure services are designed around genuine user needs, aligning with GOV.UK/GDS standards and accessibility best practices.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a User Researcher, ideally within UK central government or the wider public sector.
• Strong knowledge of GOV.UK/GDS standards and user-centred design principles.
• Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative user research.
• Able to translate research findings into actionable insights.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary agile delivery teams.
• Strong understanding of accessibility and inclusive research.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication and presentation skills.
• Experience researching across different stages of the digital service lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design and conduct user research across the full digital service lifecycle, from discovery through to live.
• Deliver qualitative and quantitative research, including usability testing, interviews, surveys and contextual research.
• Identify user needs, behaviours and pain points to inform digital service design and development.
• Analyse research findings and translate insights into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary agile teams to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Conduct inclusive research with diverse user groups, including those with accessibility requirements and assisted digital needs.
• Develop research plans, discussion guides and research reports.
• Present findings to stakeholders and influence product and service improvements.

Skills

User Research

GDS standards

Stakeholder engagement

Public sector

Accessibility research

Tools

UserTesting

Optimal Workshop

Miro

Dovetail

Job description

User Researchers x2 - Public Sector | 6-Month Contracts

Location: Leeds - 2 days per month on-site, remainder remote
Contract Duration: 6 Months
IR35 Status: Inside IR35
Day Rate: Negotiable, dependent on experience
Positions Available: 2

The Opportunity

Harvey Nash is currently recruiting for two experienced User Researchers to support digital transformation programmes with public sector clients.

Both opportunities offer excellent flexibility, with just two days per month required on-site in Leeds and the remainder working remotely.

We're looking for skilled User Researchers with strong experience in user-centred design, ideally within government or wider public sector environments.

You’ll work within multidisciplinary agile teams, collaborating with service designers, interaction designers, content designers, product managers and delivery teams to ensure digital services are designed around genuine user needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, design and conduct user research across the full digital service lifecycle, from discovery through to live.

• Deliver qualitative and quantitative research, including usability testing, interviews, surveys and contextual research.

• Identify user needs, behaviours and pain points to inform digital service design and development.

• Analyse research findings and translate insights into clear, actionable recommendations.

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary agile teams to support evidence-based decision-making.

• Conduct inclusive research with diverse user groups, including those with accessibility requirements and assisted digital needs.

• Develop research plans, discussion guides and research reports.

• Present findings to stakeholders and influence product and service improvements.

• Ensure research activities align with Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and user-centred design principles.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience working as a User Researcher, ideally within UK central government or the wider public sector.

• Strong knowledge of GDS standards, the GOV.UK Service Standard and user-centred design principles.

• Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative user research.

• Demonstrable ability to translate research findings into actionable insights.

• Experience working within multidisciplinary agile delivery teams.

• Strong understanding of accessibility, inclusive research and assisted digital requirements.

• Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication and presentation skills.

• Experience conducting research across different stages of the digital service lifecycle.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience delivering user research within central government, local government, the NHS or other public sector organisations.

• Experience supporting services through GDS service assessments.

• Familiarity with the Government Digital and Data profession.

• Experience researching complex digital services involving multiple user groups.

• Knowledge of research tools such as UserTesting, Optimal Workshop, Miro, Dovetail or similar.

• Experience engaging with vulnerable, digitally excluded or hard-to-reach user groups.

Contract Details

• 2 positions available

• 6-month contracts

• Inside IR35

• Leeds - 2 days per month on-site, remainder remote

• Negotiable day rates

Harvey Nash is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds.