Crown Commercial Service
User Reseacher
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Job Title: User Researcher
Band: 4
Salary: £48,027 - £54,751 (plus allowance up to £6,000 per annum depending on technical assessment)
Available Locations
- Liverpool
- Newport
- Norwich
- Glasgow
- Birmingham
The following locations are restricted to contracted GCA staff already based in one of these offices:
- London
- Bristol
- Manchester
- York
External applicants are not eligible for these sites. If you select one of these locations as an external applicant, your application will unfortunately be withdrawn.
Contract Type: 12 Month FTA - Maternity Cover
Hours: Full Time
Closing Date: 27-09-26
Interview Date(s): 13, 14, 15th October (subject to change)
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Are you a curious user researcher eager to solve complex government challenges? Do you want to pioneer new approaches like AI-assisted prototyping while advocating for inclusive, accessible digital services? We are seeking a collaborative User Researcher to join our multidisciplinary team. You will drive product design by delivering user-driven insights, helping us enhance existing services and shape new ones. Join us to champion user-focused digital transformation, working hand-in-hand with developers, delivery leads, and business analysts to make a tangible impact on the nation.
Job Summary
The successful candidate will be joining a small team responsible for managing over 20 services which are key to the successful and efficient delivery of grants and contracts across government.
In this role, you will:
- Plan, design, and execute user research activities using a variety of methods to gather insights from diverse user groups.
- Analyse data, synthesise findings, and communicate insights clearly, ensuring user involvement and advocacy is embedded within our agile practices.
- Work closely with team members to promote user-centred design principles and support the adoption of best research practices to enhance government digital services.
- Play a key role in shaping the vision of our digital services to ensure that each of our products are user centric and driven by user needs.
- Lead on planning, designing, and carrying out research activities within a multidisciplinary team.
- Be empowered to set up new initiatives, develop new relationships, and try new ideas.
Key Accountabilities
- Research Strategy: Plan and conduct user research using appropriate methods within a multidisciplinary, agile team.
- Data Analysis: Analyse, synthesise, and translate both qualitative and quantitative data into clear, actionable insights.
- User Advocacy: Champion user-centred practices, ensuring insights inform decision-making.
- Communication: Effectively communicate to different audiences and present research findings clearly and persuasively.
- Inclusive Research: Conduct research with diverse user groups, including those with additional needs and hard-to-reach communities.
- Ethical Standards: Demonstrate a strong understanding of research ethics, participant safety, confidentiality, and data privacy.
- Project Management: Manage multiple research activities proactively, meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality outputs.
- Design Collaboration: Build product designs and work with developers to bring designs to life through iteration and feedback sessions.
- Usability Testing: Manage the usability and accessibility testing process, from recruiting participants to preparing test tasks and guides.
- Service Standards: Champion user focus in alignment with CDDO service standards and participate in service assessments as necessary.
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Essential Criteria (to be assessed at application stage)
- Agile & User Research Methods: Conducting research in an agile and iterative way to deliver high-quality research at pace.
- Analysis and Synthesis: Leading data analysis and synthesis, critiquing findings for quality assurance, and constructively engaging skeptical colleagues.
- Research Management & Assurance: Setting clear research scopes, upholding practice standards, and continuously refining work through feedback and expert guidance.
- Stakeholder Relationship Management: Building evidence-based consensus, tailoring communications, and aligning stakeholder expectations with user needs.
Success Profiles (to be assessed at interview)
Behaviours
- Changing and Improving
- Working together
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical
- Agile Research Practices
- User Research Methods - Lead Success Profile to be assessed via a test at interview
- Research management, leadership and assurance
- Analysis and Synthesis
(A link to the Civil Service Success Profiles Framework is provided below)
Success Profiles Framework
Valuing our people
- Competitive salary
- Generous pension scheme
- A discretionary non-contractual performance-related bonus
- Working remotely in addition to working in advertised office location
- Flexi time scheme (available for B1-B6)
- Minimum 25 days annual leave to a maximum service-related 30 days excluding bank holidays
Want to make a difference? Find out more about the rewarding work that we do in our candidate pack.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain, and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more, please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
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We want to make our recruitment process accessible to everyone, so if there is any way that we can support you, please contact recruitment@gca.gov.uk
Working flexibly, delivering outcomes
GCA operates a smarter working model that balances flexibility with collaboration. Successful candidates are expected to spend at least 26 days per quarter (approximately 2 days per week, pro-rata) at their contracted office, another GCA site, or off-site for meetings. For the remainder of the time, you may work from home or another suitable location that meets business needs.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate, and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own), applications may be withdrawn, and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection Process
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Should you be placed on a reserve list and want to be removed, please contact recruitment@gca.gov.uk.
Please note that as part of this recruitment process, if you are unsuccessful at the interview stage but are close to the benchmark score, you may be considered for and offered a role at a lower pay band within the same job family.
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Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
Complaints Procedure
Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, details of which can be found at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-principles/
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk in the first instance.
If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive, you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk
Internal candidates should apply using their Workday account. Please use the careers hub for your application.
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