Senior Service Designer
Department for Education
Location
About the job
Summary
At DfE Digital, we want to deliver quickly and prove we add value, but we want to do so in a way that’s sustainable and inclusive.
We’re creating a great place to work by offering:
• An environment with flexible working options including flexi-time with no core hours
• Learning and development tailored to your role and a personal L&D budget
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• An employer pension contribution of up to 27%
• A generous annual leave allowance up to 30 days after 5 years of service
• Modern and effective collaboration tools
About the role
This is an exciting time to join our digital teams, you will be part of a rapidly growing community of service designers working on a range of digital products and services. As well as making a difference in an important transformative change, we’re creating a place that’s great to work. You’ll find a diverse and inclusive culture where people are well supported to do their best work.
You can read more on the Digital Blog
Job description
• Provide service design leadership and direction and contribute more widely to the future of service design across government
• Work closely with other government departments for a cohesive approach to service design as well as to design services that need to work across departments where necessary
• Prioritise understanding the needs and actual behaviour of users and help teams use this insight to underpin and drive the work they do
• Assess performance of services and teams against digital by default standards
• Help others to think through, communicate and help people understand how things could be, using facilitation skills, sketches, scenarios and diagrams such as maps, blueprints and prototypes
• Know how to design accessible digital services and help others to do so
• Analyse demand and failure within a service, identify root causes for that failure, frame problems, identify desired outcomes and key measures – and facilitate others to do so
• Lead discussions at a senior departmental level and successfully negotiate change (e.g. operational, organisational, policy, financial or technology) to support the delivery of better services
• Mentor and coach individuals, service teams and other parts of the organisation, run training and workshops to facilitate learning.
You will work on really important services. Things like reducing workload and stress for teachers, making sure children in care get the best opportunities in life and helping adults get the skills they need for the future economy.
You’ll be working with people who value user research and design and you’ll be creating work you’ll feel proud of.
Team
The Department for Education is transforming how government makes policy, products and services for young people, adult learners and the social care system.
We are recruiting in DfE Digital where you will work on a variety of multidisciplinary teams including the Service Delivery Division.
Responsibilities
Essential skills
• Be an experienced service designer with a strong user centred design practitioner background, skilled in designing good services
• Work with the teams and stakeholders to capture the entire perspective of your service and set the vision
• Have experience and evidence of designing or re-designing services to be more effective or efficient
• Have good knowledge of digital approaches and technology to understand how services can work better
• Able to prototype services or parts of them, facilitate groups of people to contribute effectively to re-design them
• Able to create diagrams and sketches that clearly communicate users’ journeys, interactions and other behaviours through services
• Able to communicate clear rationale and evidence base for proposals or design decisions
• Be open to constructive criticism and be able to constructively review the work of others
• Able to work effectively with and influence a wide range of stakeholders
• Have experience in helping others by expanding their knowledge to lead organisational change
Desirable skills
• Have a design related degree or relevant experience
• Be familiar with wider government strategy and its position on digital and design.
• Know how to make services accessible to the greatest range of people and needs
• Be experienced with user centred design in an agile environment as well as how to use hypotheses in design, make evidence-based design decisions and facilitate others in an organisation to do so
• Be familiar with the government service design manual, service standards and design patterns
You will be able to demonstrate the following in an interview:
• Show an active interest in and be up to speed with current trends in both public and private sector
• Show a strong portfolio of design output that demonstrates user-centred design
• How you use data and research to influence your design thinking
• Ability to communicate the vision and roadmap for a service you have worked on
• Experience of working in agile teams
• Show how you have captured and synthesised output from workshops
• Be able to talk about how you have encouraged collaboration in your team
Desirable experience will only be considered in the event of a tie, in order to make an informed decision.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- If invited to interview you will be asked to deliver a presentation on your design portfolio.
- If invited to interview you will be asked to complete a design task.
Benefits
Benefits
Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.
As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.
You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the Queen’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.
We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.
Development and Progression
We exist to support lifelong learning, offering all staff a minimum of five days formal learning and development every year, supported by ongoing professional development and opportunities for professional accreditation. We also have many different talent schemes and groups to help you achieve your full potential.
Things you need to know
Security
Selection process details
At the CV review/sift stage we will assess your skills and experience to determine your suitability for the role. Please clearly demonstrate your relevant design experience against the essential skills listed in the responsibilities section.
Interview
If invited to interview you will be asked to deliver a presentation on your design portfolio and to complete a design task.
At the interview we ask you experience based questions against the essential skills listed in the responsibilities section as well and the four listed behaviours. We will ask open-ended questions to which we are seeking answers/evidence of essential, previous skills, experience and behaviours.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
Terms and conditions of candidates transferring from ALBs and NDPBs
1. Bodies that are not accredited by the Civil Service Commission and are not able to advertise at Across Government on Civil Service jobs will be treated as external new starters and will come into DfE on modernised terms and conditions with a salary at the band minimum.
2. Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission but do not have civil service status will be offered modernised terms and will not have continuous service recognised for leave or sickness benefits. Salaries should be offered at band minimum, but there is some flexibility where this would cause a detriment to the individual.
3. Bodies that are accredited by the Civil Service Commission and do have Civil Service status will be treated as OGD transfers. Staff appointed on lateral transfer will move on to pre-modernised DfE terms (unless they were on modernised terms in their previous organisation). Staff appointed on promotion will move on to modernised DfE terms. Staff will transfer over on their existing salary (on lateral transfer) and any pay above the DfE pay band maximum will be paid as a mark time allowance. Staff moving on promotion will have their salaries calculated using the principles set out in the attached OGD transfer supplementary information.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
– Contact Government Recruitment Service via dferecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
– Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
The Department for Education’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address CentralRecruitment.Operations@education.gov.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint you have the right to complain to the Civil Service Commissioners.
Department for Education do not cover the cost of travel to your interview/assessment unless otherwise stated.
Any move to Department for Education (DfE) will mean you will no longer be able to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles.
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
| Job contact : | ||
| Name : | Sam Mcleod | |
| Email : | Sam.MCLEOD@education.gov.uk | |
| Recruitment team : | ||
| Email : | advertsrecruitment.dfe@education.gov.uk | |
Further information
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