AMS PSR

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a User Researcher for a 6 Months (Inside IR35) contract-based Hybrid/ in Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Blackpool, Birmingham.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers. As such, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

Working with DWP, you will be helping us to drive our priorities to:

• Help people to move into work and support those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
• Help people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
• Provide effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
• Improve experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer.

As an User Researcher, your main responsibilities will be:

• Conduct interviews, surveys, and observations to gather insights into how users currently handle mail indexing and routing. Objective is to identify pain points and areas for improvement.
• Develop detailed profiles of the different types of users who will interact with the new system. This will help in tailoring the solution to meet the specific needs of each user group.
• Test concepts / prototypes real users to identify any usability issues. This involves observing users as they interact with the system and gathering feedback on their experience
• Collect and analyse data from user research activities to identify trends and patterns. This information is used to make informed decisions about the design and functionality of the system.
• Work closely with designers, developers, and other stakeholders to ensure that user research findings are incorporated into the project. This involves communicating user needs and advocating for user-centered design principles.
• Continuously gather feedback from users and make improvements to the system based on their input. This iterative process helps in refining the system to better meet user needs.

Essential:

• Previous experience of Government Dept services and Architecture.
• A user researcher ensures that the system is designed with the end-users in mind. By understanding their needs, preferences, and pain points, the system can be tailored to provide a better user experience, leading to higher satisfaction and adoption rates.
• By identifying and addressing usability issues early in the development process, a user researcher can help create a more intuitive and efficient system. This can reduce the time users spend on mail indexing and routing tasks, thereby increasing overall productivity.
• Investing in user research can lead to significant cost savings in the long run. By catching and addressing potential issues early, the project can avoid costly redesigns and rework. Additionally, a system that is easier to use will require less training and support.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DWP guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

DWP guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".