GovXChange secondment opportunity: Senior Service Designer
Location: Any Cabinet Office Hub nationally: Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, York
Anticipated length: 1 – 2 years
About us
The GovXchange programme is an exciting programme designed jointly by Cabinet Office and Local Government Association, to promote skills and experience sharing between local and central government.
This programme offers an opportunity for civil servants to undertake secondments to local or strategic authorities, and for employees from Local or strategic authorities to be seconded into the Civil Service. The programme provides a formalised way to increase collaboration, develop leadership and strengthen our collective impact. It offers a rare chance to build bridges across different parts of government and work together to make a real difference for local communities. We are seeking a small number of vacancy opportunities and secondees to participate. The programme will be open to a range of grades, professions and secondment arrangements including shorter or longer term secondments, part-time arrangements or interchanges/job swaps. Our aim is to provide flexibility to enable arrangements that work best for both the host organisation and the secondee.
About the role
The Public Sector Reform Test, Learn and Grow (PSR TL&G) team is at the heart of the UK government’s initiative to drive innovation and reform in public service delivery. With the £100 million PSR Innovation Fund, our team collaborates with local authorities and government departments across the United Kingdom and with the Devolved Governments to design, test, and grow innovative solutions that enhance public service outcomes. By employing a Test & Learn approach, we focus on creating evidence-based improvements while relieving pressures on public services. Our work involves piloting foundational programmes and place-based initiatives to accelerate mission delivery, support preventative measures, and foster a collaborative environment that encourages continuous improvement and innovation in public services
A secondment with HMG offers a unique opportunity to work temporarily within the Civil Service, where you will remain an employee of your current organisation. This opportunity will allow you to develop some unique skills, but bring in specific knowledge and expertise, and work on projects that aim to deliver better public services for UK citizens. It is an immersive experience, providing you with new perspectives and the chance to contribute to significant and meaningful work.
You’ll lead design in a multidisciplinary Pioneer team—a place-based project with public sector partners to prototype solutions and policies aligned to government missions.
You’ll design and facilitate workshops and stakeholder engagements, support the team with design research when needed, prototype solutions and help your team use various methods and approaches for ‘test and learn’.
This role is mapped to the Senior Service Designer role in the Government Digital and Data framework, however we’re looking for some wider additional skills in UX design, design research and/ or policy design.
About you
You will:
* lead and coordinate design work in your team
* work effectively in a multidisciplinary, agile environment, adapting quickly to changes in requirements, priorities or user needs
* use research and analytics to understand policy areas and users needs, identify service failures and test different designs
* lead design research when needed, working alongside the Data Analyst responsible for data and quantitative research
* design collaboratively and in the open, engaging your whole team with the design process and adapting it if necessary
* champion accessibility and inclusion, consider the impact of change: new policies and technologies and ensure that designs meet legal requirements
* collaborate with designers in other teams and departments, reviewing each other's work and developing shared patterns
* guide, support and mentor designers
To apply
This secondment opportunity is being offered as part of the GovXchange programme. Full details about the programme are available on the GovXchange programme | Civil Service Careers
We continuously match suitable individuals to opportunities as part of the programme. Therefore, if you are interested in being considered for this particular role, we recommend completing the expression of interest form as soon as possible.
Should this specific role be filled before you apply, your details will be added to the GovXchange database to be considered for future opportunities available as part of the programme. You will be contacted if a role is identified that you are a suitable match for.
If you have any questions please contact secondments@local.gov.uk.
