Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

joining up public sector services
harnessing the power of AI for the public good
strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
elevating leadership and investing in talent
funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
committing to transparency and driving accountability

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need

Government Digital, Data Workforce and Capability:

Join Government Digital and Data Workforce and Capability, where our mission is to ensure the government possesses the necessary talent to drive digital transformation and overcome the challenges ahead. We're dedicated to enhancing the government's capacity to attract, recruit, nurture, and retain top tier digital and data professionals.

As part of the team, you will help shape the future of digital strategy and capabilities, providing vital insights that support cross departmental policies, standards, and strategies.

We're entrusted with devising strategies and delivering results for a community of 30,000+ digital innovators, aspiring talent, and the broader civil service. Our commitment extends to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and dynamic culture where individuals thrive and excel.

Want to know more about who Government Digital and Data are? Click here

We are responsible for:

Delivering the cross-government Blueprint for modern digital government
Digital, Data and Technology Strategy and Standards, like the Technology Code of Practice, the Service Standard and Open Standards
Cross-government performance and assurance, including Spend Controls
Government Digital and Data Capability Framework

Job description

Join the Workforce and Capability Division, where our mission is to equip government with the talent and insight needed to drive digital transformation and tackle future challenges. As a mid-weight User Researcher, you’ll play a key role in shaping cross-government strategies through evidence-based insights and user-centred design.

You’ll be part of a multidisciplinary agile team working on the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework, which defines roles and skills across digital, data and technology. Your research will inform updates to this framework, ensuring it remains relevant, usable, and aligned with the needs of practitioners and departments.

Your responsibilities will include; planning, designing and conducting user research activities to understand the needs of digital and data professionals across government. You’ll collaborate with stakeholders, communities of practice, and expert working groups to gather insights that support recruitment, workforce planning, and skills development.

You’ll work closely with content designers and policy leads to ensure our frameworks, standards and propositions are grounded in real user needs. Your work will help shape principles, policies and standards that underpin a consistent and effective approach to capability building across government.

As a User Researcher you’ll:

plan, design, and prepare a range of user research activities to support the design, development, and continuous improvement of the Workforce Transformation Team (Resourcing, Pay and Reward, Capability and Strategic Workforce Planning).
apply techniques for the analysis of research data and synthesis of findings.
present clear findings that both technical and non-technical colleagues can understand and use.
work closely with subject matter experts to turn user research findings into stories and actions that lead to valuable improvements.
design and conduct your research so the findings can be embedded into an agile workflow.

Data jobs

User Researcher

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