Lead User Researcher

If you would like to find out more about the role, the User Research team and what it’s like to work at DBT, we are holding a Hiring Manager Q&A session for this role where you can virtually 'meet the team' on 20th February 2024. Please click here to book your spot.

This role is available in seven UK locations and can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas. If your office location is London, you will be eligible to receive London weighting. DBT employees work in a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in the office on average. Changes to these working arrangements are available in certain circumstances but must be agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role and can only be discussed with successful candidates. Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

Find out about life at DBT, our benefits and meet the team by watching our recruitment video, visiting our website or reading our blog!About DBT DDaT

About DBT DDaT

We are the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). We champion free trade, help British businesses unleash their potential, and create new investment opportunities. The Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) team develops and operates tools, services, and platforms such as great.gov.uk that enable the UK government to provide world leading support to businesses in the UK and overseas. Have a look at our video!

Work with us to constantly push boundaries in an environment free of heavy legacy, driven by curiosity, social purpose, diversity of thought, entrepreneurship, and the aspiration to offer an incredible experience to all our users.

As a Lead User Researcher, reporting to the Head of User Research, you will be helping to reinvigorate the User Research function in DBT, as part of our broader mission to champion the needs of our users. User researchers are key figures in our digital teams. They help our teams develop a deep understanding of the people - citizens, businesses, or government - who use our services. Their findings enable our teams to design and deliver better services quickly, with less risk, and at lower cost.

We’re looking to increase our influence and impact by developing agile, pragmatic ways of working, that help teams meet the CDDO service standards while reflecting the delivery pace of the department. We’re looking at how we set and assure research standards, how we innovate our approaches, and how we support teams to understand and respond to user needs. Find out more on our User Research blogs.

Responsibilities

In your day-to-day role, you will:

• Help plan research programmes, working with management teams and Delivery Managers to ensure a shared understanding of priorities, playing an active role in matching researchers to requirements
• Oversee the work of User Researchers to ensure work is meeting GDS/CDDO service standards and is being delivered pragmatically and to a high quality, intervening if research falls below expected standards
• Take the lead on key research about complex services and strategic issues and synthesise findings to generate strategic insights and identify gaps in understanding
• Be an advocate for agile, user-focused research and work with stakeholders to highlight the benefits of operating this way
• Lead on staff recruitment, both permanent civil servants and contractors
• Manage the professional development of current staff, and the capability assessments in the UR profession