This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London)
Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC)
Job Summary
You will be joining the Chief Medical Advisor Directorate which provides trusted clinical and public health leadership through expert advice, guidance, epidemiological insights and evidence. The group leads and delivers services protecting the population from hazards locally, nationally and globally.
The role sits within the UKHSA’s core User-Centred Design (UCD) team, which is part of the Readiness and Surge division. Readiness and Surge works across UKHSA and sets the strategic direction for UKHSA’s readiness to respond to all threats and hazards. We focus on Agency capability, putting external stakeholder and customer needs at the centre of designs for the future. We identify opportunities to improve public health outcomes through better user experiences and end to end design.
The Team Are Responsible For:
- embedding UCD approaches into UKHSA ways of working
- UCD expertise in project delivery
- ensuring user needs are understood and designed for, advocating for all users, to achieve equitable outcomes
- ensuring our products are accessible and developed to the Government Service Standards and follow appropriate style guides and patterns
- leading the UKHSA-wide UCD community of practice to support organisational and in-profession development
- standards for UCD professionals
Job Description
As a senior service designer, you’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary squad collaborating with teams across UKHSA. This role involves providing strategy, guidance and support to internal teams across UKHSA to ensure that their policies, services and products are user-centred.
The senior service designer will work with stakeholders to design services that reduce friction and complexity across the whole service, finding accessible solutions to complex problems and helping UKHSA to achieve its public health objectives.
As an experienced practitioner you’ll be comfortable assuring best practice, leading and mentoring others within the team, including coaching stakeholders and professionals from other disciplines in service and interaction design and user-centricity.
Together with other UCD professions you’ll ensure quality, innovation, and creativity in how we approach all aspects of design and how we bring concepts to life for stakeholders to effect change.
You’ll be an active part of the UCD community. As a senior leader you’ll actively encourage, facilitate, and demonstrate sharing of insights and practices within the community and across the organisation. This role is aligned to Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework - senior service designer.
As a Senior Service Designer, You’ll:
- provide design leadership and deliver effective designs supporting service transformation by working with stakeholders and customers to understand existing services and identify key opportunities to improve the service end-to-end.
- identify solutions to complex problems within services, and support these by developing design concepts, balancing user needs with business, operational and technical requirements.
- act as a recognised and credible expert in service design, advocating for the value of a user-centred, inclusive, and evidence-based approach to service design and delivery, and influencing programme/project roadmaps to embed effective and user-centred design practice.
- lead and manage change positively, championing and promoting a culture of imaginative thinking, learning from experience, expanding mindsets and genuinely listen to and encourage ideas from key stakeholders, partners, and colleagues.
- work with other professions and stakeholders to discover and analyse insights to identify common themes, pain points and user needs
- make actionable recommendations based on insights and communicate these to stakeholders clearly and confidently
- improve design practice by using a range of design techniques and encouraging others to also think of alternative ways to conduct design work, developing the practical experience of non-specialists
- actively participate in the UCD community of practice, fostering a culture of continuous professional development, working openly and collaboratively to contribute to building the service design capability
- line manage staff, undertaking the full range of line management responsibilities as well as providing coaching and support to staff across UKHSA
- significant experience in service design with experience of using user-centred design methods and practices in large, complex organisations
- to be able to navigate stakeholder landscapes, leading and managing relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders with different reporting relationships to improve services and gain support for standards, design solutions, roadmaps, and ways of working
- to be able to select and use appropriate design methods and prototyping tools to explore complex service problems and opportunities across digital and non-digital channels as appropriate
- to be able to demonstrate the importance of designing inclusive, equitable, accessible and sustainable services
- to have proven leadership skills with experience of leading, directing and planning design activities, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely delivery
- to be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely delivery
- to be able to identify and create new design patterns and components based on evidence
- experience of coaching and mentoring other service designers
- experience of government service assessments
As a senior service designer, you’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary squad collaborating with teams across UKHSA. This role involves providing strategy, guidance and support to internal teams across UKHSA to ensure that their policies, services and products are user-centred.
The senior service designer will work with stakeholders to design services that reduce friction and complexity across the whole service, finding accessible solutions to complex problems and helping UKHSA to achieve its public health objectives.
As an experienced practitioner you’ll be comfortable assuring best practice, leading and mentoring others within the team, including coaching stakeholders and professionals from other disciplines in service and interaction design and user-centricity.
Together with other UCD professions you’ll ensure quality, innovation, and creativity in how we approach all aspects of design and how we bring concepts to life for stakeholders to effect change.
You’ll be an active part of the UCD community. As a senior leader you’ll actively encourage, facilitate, and demonstrate sharing of insights and practices within the community and across the organisation. This role is aligned to Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework - senior service designer.
As a Senior Service Designer, You’ll:
- provide design leadership and deliver effective designs supporting service transformation by working with stakeholders and customers to understand existing services and identify key opportunities to improve the service end-to-end.
- identify solutions to complex problems within services, and support these by developing design concepts, balancing user needs with business, operational and technical requirements.
- act as a recognised and credible expert in service design, advocating for the value of a user-centred, inclusive, and evidence-based approach to service design and delivery, and influencing programme/project roadmaps to embed effective and user-centred design practice.
- lead and manage change positively, championing and promoting a culture of imaginative thinking, learning from experience, expanding mindsets and genuinely listen to and encourage ideas from key stakeholders, partners, and colleagues.
- work with other professions and stakeholders to discover and analyse insights to identify common themes, pain points and user needs
- make actionable recommendations based on insights and communicate these to stakeholders clearly and confidently
- improve design practice by using a range of design techniques and encouraging others to also think of alternative ways to conduct design work, developing the practical experience of non-specialists
- actively participate in the UCD community of practice, fostering a culture of continuous professional development, working openly and collaboratively to contribute to building the service design capability
- line manage staff, undertaking the full range of line management responsibilities as well as providing coaching and support to staff across UKHSA
- significant experience in service design with experience of using user-centred design methods and practices in large, complex organisations
- to be able to navigate stakeholder landscapes, leading and managing relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders with different reporting relationships to improve services and gain support for standards, design solutions, roadmaps, and ways of working
- to be able to select and use appropriate design methods and prototyping tools to explore complex service problems and opportunities across digital and non-digital channels as appropriate
- to be able to demonstrate the importance of designing inclusive, equitable, accessible and sustainable services
- to have proven leadership skills with experience of leading, directing and planning design activities, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely delivery
- to be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely delivery
- to be able to identify and create new design patterns and components based on evidence
- experience of coaching and mentoring other service designers
- experience of government service assessments
Person specification
Essential Role Criteria:
To be considered for this role, you’ll need:
- significant experience in service design with experience of using user-centred design methods and practices in large, complex organisations
- able to navigate stakeholder landscapes, leading and managing relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders with different reporting relationships to improve services and gain support for standards, design solutions, roadmaps, and ways of working
- able to select and use appropriate design methods and prototyping tools to explore complex service problems and opportunities across digital and non-digital channels as appropriate
- able to demonstrate the importance of designing inclusive, equitable, accessible and sustainable services
- proven leadership skills with experience of leading, directing and planning design activities, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely delivery
- to be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, working directly with other professions to ensure effective and timely delivery
- to be able to identify and create new design patterns and components based on evidence
- experience of coaching and mentoring other service designers
- experience of government service assessments
Desirable Role Criteria:
You may also have experience of:
- working in an agile environment
Alongside your salary of £56,185, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,276 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- 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%
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Selection process details
Stage 1: Application & Sift
This vacancy is using Success Profiles
At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the job advert.
You Will Be Required To Complete An:
- Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- 1000 word supporting statement demonstrating essential criteria
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 word count.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role.
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible)
If we receive a large number of applications an initial sift against the lead criteria of:
- significant experience in service design with experience of using user-centred design methods and practices in large, complex organisations
- able to navigate stakeholder landscapes, leading and managing relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders with different reporting relationships to improve services and gain support for standards, design solutions, roadmaps, and ways of working
- able to select and use appropriate design methods and prototyping tools to explore complex service problems and opportunities across digital and non-digital channels as appropriate
- able to demonstrate the importance of designing inclusive, equitable, accessible and sustainable services
Longlisting: we may longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria - taking through only this pile.
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
In the event of a large number of applications we may use the Desirable criteria
Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview (success profiles) Technical Skills
You will be invited to remote interview.
This vacancy is being assessed using Success Profiles – technical skills. During the interview we will assess you against the below:
Your capability for this role will be assessed against the essential criteria and your technical skills as a senior service designer
The technical skills for this role are:
- Designing for everyone
- Designing strategically
- Evidence based design
- Leading design
You’ll be invited to a 60-minute remote video interview. This will include a presentation on your understanding of user-centred design and service design, to help us understand more about you and your skills and experience.
We will send instructions 5 days in advance of your interview. You do not have to prepare slides, but you may choose to.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Eligibility Criteria
Option 1 - External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Security Clearance Level Requirement:
Successful candidates must pass a Basic DBS
Successful candidates must also meet the security requirements before they can be appointed.
The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)
For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy.
Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.
The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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.
Link Below:
Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Recruitment Team
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : Recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
http://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/v7513499
