HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Job Title

User Researcher

Grade:

SEO

Directorate:

Digital and Technology Services (DTS)

Location:

National (includes London)

Contract Type:

Permanent

Working Pattern:

Full-time/ Flexible Working

Introduction:

HM Courts & Tribunals Service is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. We support the running of courts and tribunals and their administration to ensure that justice can be delivered. We work on crucial services across family, civil, tribunals and crime. Our work plays a vital role to the delivery of justice, and covers a wide range of users from staff, judges to vulnerable users going through life changing legal procedures.

We are looking for talented people to join our existing team of exceptional researchers with our challenging, important and rewarding work.

We are part of HMCTS Digital and Technology Services (DTS), a specialist technology directorate which provides support to HMCTS in the use of IT and Digital.

DTS is committed to being a great place to work and part of our offer is brilliant training opportunities and support from expert colleagues. As well as that you’ll find flexible working, an inclusive cultureand a place where your opinion is valued.

Please follow the link below for further information about HMCTS. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service

We are redesigning and rebuilding services around the needs of users. These changes cover digital services but also include the physical location and environment of courts and our telephony services.

The User Research team’s current focus is producing, through primary research, actionable insights that inform and then validate the organisation’s user experience design. The team also helps maintain fundamental design principles of being user led and adopts agile ways of working and continuous improvement in the delivery of transformed HMCTS services and products.

The team is made up of user researchers with a passion for driving the design and development of user experiences that fulfil HMCTS’s goal of being user-focused and evidence driven. Your research will touch on the lives of every type of citizen as well as a range of other users such as legal professionals and judges.

Key Responsibilities:

You will be responsible for planning and carrying out user research activities, embedded in a multidisciplinary team. This will include:

• Work independently on a multi-disciplinary team to design, plan and carry out research.
• Conduct user research using a range of research methods, selecting the appropriate method depending on the requirements of the programme.
• Source and procure participants and facilities to conduct user research activities, specifying requirements for user testing groups
• Test high level and specific aspects of a service, presenting research findings to help gain consensus and take action based on research findings.
• Generate new and useful insights related to HMCTS users for the project team and ensure where relevant that the insights influence design decisions.
• Communicate the insights gained from user research outputs to both the project team and wider stakeholders, helping to enhance organisational understanding of the users and drive decisions and actionable recommendations.
• Maintain and develop relationships across the product teams, guiding the team in understanding research findings and insights.
• Work within agile project teams, providing, to the team, a focus on user centred design.
• Be an advocate for research and user centred design within your team, using evidence drawn from data and research analysis to represent the user in product and design discussions

You will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Essential Criteria:

To be successful in this post you will need to demonstrate the following:

• Demonstrable experience of conducting primary public-facing qualitative research, gained through a research role (such as market, social or user research)
• Experience of using the appropriate research methods to generate specific insights into user behaviour and needs
• Strong research and analytical skills, the ability to analyse multiple sources of data to produce clear recommendations and actionable insights
• Understanding of user-centred design principles and tools
• Experience of building and reaching consensus with stakeholders and working to improve stakeholder relationships using evidence

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience helping teams design and deliver accessible services that work for all users, and effectively including all kinds of users in research;
• Experience managing, executing and analysing usability test sessions
• Research experience in an agile development environment with user-centred design teams, designers and developers creating new digital products and services
• Experience of working with the courts and tribunals service, in the legal community or justice sector

Application process:

This role will be recruited using a combination of Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession Capability Framework and Success Profiles Frameworks during the sift and interview process. Using GDD we will then determine if you will be paid an additional allowance, on top of your basic salary. This role is within the User-centred design roles job family and is a User researcher at user researcher level and carries the title User researcher in DTS. To be successful you’ll need to demonstrate evidence of working in a research role (this could be market research, social research or user research).

Stage 1 - Sift:

Experience – As demonstrated in your application form

• An anonymised CV, setting out your career history, key responsibilities and achievements. Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Essential Skills section of this advert.
• A Statement of Suitability 750 words which should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. We recommend following the STAR

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application Guidance

Stage 2 - Interviews:

Successful candidates who passed the sift will be invited to interview via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following – Technical, Behaviours. Details can be found under the interview stage assessment section on the advert. For Behaviours you will be expected to align your answers to the Government Digital and Data (GDD) Capability Framework

• Leadership - Research management, leadership and assurance
• Changing and Improving - User research methods
• Seeing the Big Picture- Agile research practices
• Communicating and Influencing- Stakeholder relationship management

As part of the selection process, shortlisted candidates will be invited to deliver a presentation highlighting their technical skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the person specification. A detailed presentation brief will be shared one week ahead of the interview

For further guidance on the interview process please click here

Important information

Opportunities for development

HMCTS is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities, such as 6 development days a year.

You will have access to a wide range of tools to continually develop and enhance your skills, such as: access to Pluralsight digital skills platform, Microsoft Enterprise Initiative learning, Learning at Work Week, plus taught courses specific to your role.

Salary details

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.

Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion, will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the new pay band, or receive an increase of 10 percent on the current base salary, whichever is higher (This is restricted to the pay maximum of the new band).

Travel requirements

There will be a requirement to travel occasionally to any HMCTS site in line with business needs.

Reserve List:

HMCTS run a Reserve List, where candidates who are unsuccessful at interview by only a few points, can be offered other roles, at the same band, for up to 12 months. You will be able to view your status via the application screen. If you have been added to the Reserve List, your status will show either Merit or Reserve list.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

Diversity & 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 Planand the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.