Senior User Researcher

On behalf of The Home Office, we are looking for a Senior User Researcher (Inside IR35) for a 6 month contract based REMOTELY.

Note: SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, (as a minimum you will need to be eligible for SC).

The first duty of Government is to protect the public. Since 1782, the Home Office has led work to keep the country safe from those who seek to do it harm; in doing so, we make a vital contribution to HM Government's plan for a stronger, fairer, outward-looking and united Britain.

The Home Office covers three systems: Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Borders, Immigration and Citizenship. These systems work collaboratively to deliver our cross-cutting priorities, whilst providing increasingly efficient and secure services for the public. These are difficult areas that can rapidly change in the global environment we work in - this makes us one of the most exciting and stimulating government departments in which to work.

As a User Researcher, you will work independently to plan and carry out research projects from preparation through to sharing of research outcomes.

Main Responsibilities:

1. Plan and conduct user centric and evidence-based research activities.
2. Generate Insights - Convert research data into clear findings.
3. Develop Research Strategy - Develop appropriate research strategies and its approach.
4. Inclusive Research - Include a spectrum of users in appropriate research activities, and advocate for product values internally.
5. User centred and Agile practices - Conduct user centred design practice and work with commitment to agile and continuous iterative approach.
6. Plan and design user research programmes, testing both high level concepts and specific aspects of the services as it is designed and developed.
7. Work within agile project teams, providing, to the team, a focus on user centered design.
8. Generate new and useful insights related to Home Office users for the project team to leverage, ensuring where relevant that the insights influence design decisions.
9. Communicate the insights gained from user research outputs to both the project team and wider stakeholders, helping to enhance organisational understanding of the users that drives decisions and actionable recommendations.
10. Maintain and develop relationships across the product teams, guiding the team in understanding research appropriateness and insights.
11. Prioritize and execute the end-to-end user research activities, this will include the scope, plan, recruitment, facilitating and also the driving of improvement in the service offered.
12. Plan and conduct research that considers the diversity of users, keeping in mind access needs and the ethical nature of research.
13. Understand the variety and complexity of users' digital needs and how the product will meet those needs.
14. Conduct user research using a range of research methods, selecting the appropriate method, both qualitative and quantitative, depending on the requirements of the programme.
15. Work with other teams to understand and leverage existing research material that may add value to the team's research requirements and, where necessary, conduct a gap analysis to fulfil the needs of the team.

Essential Skills:

1. Experience of User Research methods.
2. Understand when to use those methods and how to apply them correctly. Know how to involve their team in research activities.
3. User Centred Agile & Design Practices - Experience of a range of user-centred practices.
4. Ability to work with colleagues to plan and do continuous user research in a multidisciplinary team.
5. Ability to demonstrate a working understanding of design, technology and data principles.
6. Experience designing services and making decisions to meet user's needs.
7. Experience of User Centred Analysis.
8. Ability to use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes.
9. Ability to deliver analysis and information that addresses stakeholder needs and can provide recommendations.
10. Be able to communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact.
11. Previous User Research experience in a large-scale project.

Desirable:

1. Experience working to the Government Service Standard.
2. Experience working with data services and/or experience of research and analytics.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.