Senior User Researcher

The Senior User Researcher is an experienced researcher who works with minimal support and can influence and mentor others.
You will:
+ Take end-to-end ownership of user research sessions from initial concept to implementation, through to synthesising and presenting findings.
+ Plan and conduct user research activities using appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
+ Confidently draw insights and conclusions from collected research materials and use these to shape the strategic direction and design of services.
+ Present findings and related design/business recommendations and user insights to project stakeholders at all levels.
+ Work closely with product managers, designers and developers to turn user research findings into actions that lead to valuable product and service features.
For further information please see the attached Role Profile.
Additional Information
This role can be based in Bristol, Swansea, Nottingham, Newcastle, Oldham, Birmingham or Leeds. Your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards this.

Person specification
About You
+ You’re experienced in using appropriate artefacts to share insights and a great story-teller.
+ You’re curious about understanding our users and what drives their behaviour.
+ You have a proactive mindset with a strong ability to influence decisions and strategies.
+ You’re skilled at conducting research to help solve problems in a landscape made up of complex services.
There may be an element of travel associated with this role to other DVSA offices, with some infrequent overnight stays.
Please take note that DVSA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
About Us
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably.
We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
We’re working hard to:
+ make roads safer.
+ improve services for our customers.
+ make road transport greener and healthier.
+ harness the potential of technology and data.
We’re committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams where everyone is valued. You can grow, develop and progress, and make a real difference to society.
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice and welcome and encourage applications from everyone, such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people and those who identify as LGBT+.
To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website.

Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Delivering at Pace, Please structure your Personal Statement to provide detailed evidence of each of the following:
+ Experience in qualitative research methods such as: user requirements gathering, early-stage concept testing, prototype testing
+ Using artefacts to share and communicate insights such as user flows, experience maps, experience blueprints, prioritised user needs, user profiles, and test results.
+ Data analysis techniques for quantitative and qualitative data sources.
Sift & Interview Dates
The sift is due to take place week commencing 18th November 2024.
Interviews are due to take place week commencing 2nd December 2024.
This interview will be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
+ An interview.
+ A presentation.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the Role Profile attached, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate to be successful.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
You can read more about Success Profiles here.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes., 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.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

It's a great time to join DVSA as we expand the User Research function in our growing User Centred Design team. We work in established multidisciplinary continuous improvement teams and also in the early stages of change delivery, and we support services across the organisation to provide better experiences for our users.
This is an exciting opportunity to build upon your skills and experience in an evolving team while working on high-profile digital services that are used by millions of people every day.
We’re looking for an individual who:
+ advocates for user needs to create services that help millions of people in their everyday lives.
+ can work on high-profile projects and create digital experiences with a human touch.
+ loves their craft and enjoys helping others to develop theirs.
If this sounds like you, then make sure to apply!
There really is no better time to join us at Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). We’re committed to improving safety on Britain’s roads and have growing opportunities to work on a wide range of interesting and exciting projects across our programmes.
Our Digital-first vision is supported by a clear strategy which allows our staff to develop and grow.
There’s never been a better time to join the DVSA.

+ An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
+ Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27%.
+ Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30.
+ 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
+ Latest IT and Tech devices.
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
+ Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level.
+ Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names.
+ Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing.
+ Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers.