Public Sector Resourcing
Senior User Researcher
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Senior User Researcher (Inside IR35) - 6 Month Contract
On behalf of the MOD we are looking for a Senior User Researcher (Inside IR35) for a 6 month contract. Hybrid working with 1 day per week in London.
PLEASE NOTE: SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence, as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.
DefHRS is transforming Defence Human Resources services as part of Corporate Services Modernisation. We are looking for an experienced User Researcher to help teams build a deep understanding of the people who use Defence HR services and use that evidence to improve policy, service, content and interaction design.
You will independently plan and lead research for complex services, aligning research with wider DefHRS and CSM plans and the decisions teams need to make. You will work closely with the rest of CSM, including the Enterprise Architecture and Technical Delivery team (EATD), to ensure user evidence informs end-to-end service design, requirements, architecture, delivery and assurance. You will build user-centred practice, coach colleagues and assure research quality through professional influence and constructive feedback.
Main Responsibilities
As a Senior User Researcher your main responsibilities will be to:
- Create proportionate research plans aligned with DefHRS and CSM priorities, service risks and delivery milestones
- Identify the research questions, assumptions and evidence gaps that matter most
- Choose appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods for the users, service and decision
- Adapt research to the complexity and constraints of the delivery environment
- Include civilian and military self-service users, managers, commanders, HR professionals and specialist users
- Recognise how rank, grade, command structures or employment relationships may affect participation and candour
- Plan research that protects participants, researchers and the organisation
- Adapt research materials and sessions so people can participate effectively
- Use a range of analysis and synthesis techniques appropriate to the evidence
- Involve multidisciplinary colleagues in analysis while maintaining research quality
- Produce clear findings, user needs, insights and recommendations
- Lead usability and accessibility research
- Work closely with EATD service design, business analysis, enterprise architecture, technical architecture and delivery colleagues
- Help new or inexperienced teams adopt user-centred practices
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Essential Requirements
- Leading end-to-end user research for complex digital services, products, or transformation programmes.
- Applying a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including interviews, contextual inquiry, and usability testing.
- Designing and delivering inclusive research with diverse user groups, including disabled users and people who use assistive technologies.
- Analysing complex evidence and translating findings into clear, actionable recommendations for stakeholders.
- Influencing multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders, while maintaining research quality, managing risks, and driving evidence-based decisions.
- Experience of working with human Resources, workforce, or people-focused services.
Desirable Requirements
- Large-scale public sector transformation, particularly within Defence, national security, or similarly complex organisations.
- Research involving civilian and military populations or users working in operational, secure, overseas, or low-connectivity environments.
- Oracle Fusion Human Capital Management (HCM) or comparable enterprise technology platforms.
- GOV.UK Service Standard, service assessments, accessibility testing, research operations, participant recruitment, or research repositories.
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Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.
Disability Confident
As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, the MOD guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.
This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.
Armed Forces Covenant
The MOD guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.
In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different."
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