User Researcher in NOMS Digital Studio

Tender description

Who Speclialist Work With We're building a team of around 70 experts in Web Development, Design and User Research. This is a brilliant opportunity to be part of a growing team from its nascent stage and play an active and continued role in the strategic development of both the team and the studio approaches. Immediate team: Service design team of a Technical Architect, Service Designer and Service Manager- based in Sheffield. Wider Service Area team: Service design team working across up to 3 Product Delivery Teams- based in Sheffield. Community of User Researchers, 3 based in London and Head of User Experience in Sheffield What Specialists Work On The Digital Studio is planned to deliver, over the next 5 years, modern and mobile technology products quickly, responsively and flexibly. Our aim is to reduce reoffending by introducing products that reduce violence, improve employability, reduce self-harm and improve offender-family relationships. This role includes - 1. Leading research across the Prison and Probation Service to build a picture of the system, identifying the actors and the opportunities for service improvements 2. Leading Discovery work to inform the development of new products to reduce reoffending 3. Leading on the development of User Research and User Experience practices across the programme Where the Work Takes Place Furnace Hill, Sheffield (with some time in London) Early Market Engagement Working Arrangements The role includes travel across the UK to conduct research in prisons and probation offices. When not engaged in off-site research, you will be working on-site in Sheffield and London, with at least 2-3 days per week based in Sheffield, so as to have face to face engagement with the rest of the team. There is a £5,000 limit on travel expenses. Expenses will only be covered for research trips/meetings outside of Sheffield. Travel between Sheffield and the Supplier's location is not covered. Work Location Furnace Hill, Sheffield (with some time in London) Security Clearance Basic Clearance required (disclosure scotland) Additional T&Cs Skills & Experience Have 5+ years conducting user experience research Have Degree Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, or related field Have In-depth understanding of user-centered design principles and tools Have Excellent written and verbal communication Be Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities simultaneously Have demonstrable 3+ years experience planning and building digital products. Have Proven experience of stakeholder management; Strong negotiation skills to ensure that design thinking is intrinsic to delivery, but also taking a pragmatic approach to design where needed Have Experience leading (defining scope, approach and carrying out delivery of) end to end service transformation work, using user-centred, agile approaches Have Demonstrable 3+ years experience in working effectively with cross-disciplinary teams (with Design, Software, Content and Product team members) Be able to send a CV to lauren.bradley@justice.gsi.gov.uk by the closing date. Nice to Haves Have A broad understanding of visual design, interaction design, content design and service design Have Previous experience of leading mixed teams of designers and researchers No. of Specialists to Evaluate 5 Cultural Fit Criteria We challenge the status quo:  we aim to understand the reason behind ‘the way things have always been done’ to see if there is a better way to do things We respect each other in our different opinions and are constructive in feedback The unit of delivery is the team - we have no individual heroes, the stars are the teams as whole entities We aren’t afraid of conflict:  we surface tensions and conflict early, and address them promptly We believe empowered teams deliver the best products: those who are doing the work should and do have the greatest understanding of the work - so ask the team! We inspect and adapt regularly to continuously improve; learning from failure not blaming individuals Working product in the hands of users early and often Products degrade quickly, so we regularly iterate and improvement our products Collocating the people, skills and knowledge you need is the best way to deliver Measure progress by what value you deliver Keep focus on quality, making sure the whole team is aware of any debt taken on Keep it simple and do less, whether that for  features in the product or the way you are delivering Assessment Method Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 50% Cultural fit 20% Price 30% Questions from Suppliers Budget range