AMS PSR

On behalf of DWP, we are looking for a User Researcher for a 6 months Inside IR35 contract based Hybrid Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, Blackpool, Newcastle, Leeds

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:

• Run an effective welfare system that enables people to achieve financial independence by providing assistance and guidance into employment
• Increase saving for, and security in later life
• Create a fair and affordable welfare system which improves the life chances of children
• Deliver outstanding services to our customers and claimants
• Deliver efficiently: transform the way we deliver our services to reduce costs and increase productivity..

As a User Researcher, your main responsibilities will be:

Essential:

• Continuous Improvement of CP in the live space - this includes BEL/JEL and in the next few months will include PIP. Both large areas and MVPs will need UR involvement around identifying problems, iterations and testing solutions.
• This is particularly true of BEL/JEL due to having over 80 'intents' designed, CP throwing up several potential issues in live data and the fact that this was the first version of CP designed, and design frameworks etc. have moved on - so we anticipate a lot of testing to iterate it more in line with other service designs.
• PIP may also have similar issues - but too early to tell as yet as it is not live, and we have no MI
• It is worth noting that as more services go live, more work is required to iterate and improve the growing list of service lines. As Onboarding begins again in a few weeks/months, we may have BEL/JEL, PIP, SP/PC, AA, CA and DLA live in 2025 sometime
• Onboarding new service lines - UR will have a central role in supporting the CP designs for the next 3 service lines - AA, CA and DLA. The designers are already coming across questions and potential issues which will need investigation/testing by UR
• AA, CA and DLA have distinct user groups and probably different needs as a result. Even having 1 x UR for all 3 lines (with each line covered by a dedicated Conversational Content Designer) is a stretch to manage
• After these lines have been designed for, there will be new ones coming further down the track as part of the conveyer belt approach
• SP/PC - UR work planned but has not finished, so we will be looking at the designs and speaking to lead designers around if UR needs to plug gaps/give confidence around designs that have been finalised prior to handover and build
• UC - a huge service with over 70 'intents' designed. Service and benefit is quite different to others and will require dedicated UR resource

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.

Armed Forces Covenant / Commitment

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 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".