Policy Lab Senior Service Designer
Home Office
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 27th November 2024
Details
Reference number
Salary
London pay locations: Croydon, London £64,300-£70,730
Pay Framework Allowance (PFA)
You may be eligible for an additional non-pensionable allowance, pending a Capability and Skills assessment, with a value of up to £20,100* (Location dependent).
Job grade
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Fixed term
Length of employment
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Type of role
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About the job
Job summary
The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, fire, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.
The Home Office Policy and Innovation Lab (CoLab) is a creative team of designers and researchers, that work closely with policy and operations teams from across the Home Office to bring user-centred and explorative approaches to policy making at the Home Office. Our work builds a deep understanding of the challenges being faced by our users, so that we can rapidly design and test novel solutions to de-risk policy decisions and improve outcomes.
We work in policy spaces that require a deeper understanding of service users. These might be projects like exploring how we can improve helpline support for victims and survivors of domestic abuse or understanding how policing might best use AI tools.
Job description
As a Senior Service Designer, you’ll be passionate about delivering better services, adept at leading projects to shape the approach and guide the delivery. You’ll be confident working in a fast-paced environment as part of a multi-disciplinary team and are accustomed to going over and beyond to deliver excellence. You’ll be skilled at designing for both the front stage and behind the scenes, using evidence to inform your design decisions and measure service outcomes.
You’ll work closely with user researchers and policy professionals, with access to a range of other specialist skillsets when required. You may also have short periods of work delivering digital products and services, with user centred design colleagues in our Digital, Data and Technology directorate.
We work hard to maintain a positive working culture and are committed to helping you fulfil your potential. We value diversity and provide an open, inclusive and supportive environment to help you do your best work. We also nurture talent and offer a broad range of learning and development opportunities that will help you flourish in your role.
Working Pattern
Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part-time basis, there is a business requirement, for the successful candidates to be able to work a minimum of 30 hours per week (0.8 FTE), spread over four days.
Pay Framework Allowance (PFA)
You may be eligible for an additional non-pensionable allowance, pending a Capability and Skills assessment, with a value of up to £20,100* (Location dependent).
The advertised role is part of the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession. This role has access to a Digital Capability-Based Allowance. Applicants that are successful at interview will be invited to complete a Capability and Skills Assessment post-interview. Any allowance awarded will be based on the assessment of your capability against the six skills advertised for this role.
The allowance values are set by the Home Office, subject to remaining in a qualifying role and are non-pensionable. This allowance is non-contractual, subject to an annual review and could be withdrawn at any time, in line with Home Office allowance policy.
For both new entrants and existing civil servants, the total compensation offer is a combination of base salary and, if applicable, a capability-based allowance. For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. Please see advert and attached candidate pack for more information.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Understanding systems and creating service visualisations to help you influence them and others to navigate them. - Structuring and managing the design process, including framing problems and identifying measurable target outcomes.
- Facilitating engaging workshops to help multidisciplinary groups align, explore, ideate, prioritise or make decisions.
- Designing evidence-based solutions that might shape policy, processes, technology or infrastructure.
- Developing sketches, diagrams, written narratives and rapid prototypes to communicate and test ideas with users and stakeholders.
- Engaging colleagues and stakeholders who are less familiar with service design or user-centred design.
- Working autonomously, while managing multiple deadlines and responding to changing priorities.
Desirable Criteria
- Working in an innovation lab, design consultancy or similar environment. Ideally you’ll have a degree in design or relevant industry experience.
- Working with policy teams or contributing to policy making.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Analysis of complex systems and services
- Designing services to meet user needs
- Communicating complex ideas creatively and effectively
- Designing for accessibility and inclusion
Benefits
In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:
- Pay Framework Allowance (PFA)- you may be eligible for an additional non-pensionable allowance, pending a Capability and Skills assessment, with a value of up to £20,100* (Location dependent).
- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
- 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
- Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
- Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.
See more of our benefits on our careers website.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.
- Application – by 27th November 2024.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- CV detailing job history/qualifications/skills.
- Personal Statement (maximum 1000 words).
Your CV should consist of your career history and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored and used to provide further context on your Personal Statement, and support conversations at interview.
The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.
For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.
2. Sift – week commencing 2nd December 2024.
The sift will be held on the CV and Personal Statement.
The CV will be scored for all candidates. Those candidates who achieve the minimum pass score for the CV will progress to a further sift where the Personal Statement will be scored. These candidates will receive sift scores for all elements. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the CV will not have their Personal Statement scored and will only receive a sift score for the CV.
3. Interview – week commencing 16th December 2024.
Evidence of the Technical Skills listed below that align to Professional Competency Framework Digital, Data and Technology Profession Capability Framework:
- Analysis of complex systems and services.
- Designing services to meet user needs.
- Communicating complex ideas creatively and effectively.
- Designing for accessibility and inclusion.
- Prototyping and creating services.
- Leading and managing others.
The interview will take place on Teams.
Candidates shortlisted will be invited to a blended interview. At the beginning of the interview, you will be asked to conduct a 10 minute presentation based on your task and then asked questions that explore your technical skills and experience. The presentation topic will be set on the day, and you will have 40 minutes to prepare.
Applicants that are successful at interview will be invited to complete a Capability and Skills Assessment post-interview. Any allowance awarded will be based on the assessment of your capability against the six skills advertised for this role.
Pease refer to the Professional Competency Framework Digital, Data and Technology Profession Capability Framework - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Location preferences
You can select up to three locations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred location(s) and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.
Reserve lists will be held for each location and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.
Candidates judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised without the need to go through a further selection process, providing the role has the same Success Profiles elements and essential skills. There is no guarantee that further such vacancies will arise.
Standards
All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
Additional Security Checks
As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, you will also be subject to additional Border Force-specific security checks as part of the pre-employment process, to determine your suitability to work for the organisation. For further information on what this involves, please visit our website.
Problems during the application process
If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.
Further information
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
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 circumstances 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-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
If you are invited to an interview, you will be required to bring documentation for the purposes of establishing your identity.
You will need to meet the nationality requirements for this role and obtain the necessary security clearance to take it up.
For meaningful security checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. Learn more on our website. Security Checks - Home Office Careers
Visa sponsorship
We do not sponsor individuals via Skilled Worker Sponsorship / Tier 2 (General) work visas.
Reasonable Adjustments
If a person with disabilities is 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 HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as 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
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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 (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre
- Email : horccampaignteamcorporateenablers@homeoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance
HORecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.
