Lead User Researcher

Own and lead on Discovery projects for the UCD team
Own and lead on research projects throughout BDUK
Play a key role in developing the ways of working and processes for the UCD team
Engage and optimise existing processes with other BDUK teams
Support the Head of User Research
Lead and develop other members of the UCD team
Develop team documentation and guidance
Be a key point of contact for interacting with the rest of the organisation
Build strong professional relationships throughout BDUK
Advocate for user centred design and the DDaT function throughout the organisation
Person specification
Successful Candidates must be able to demonstrate the following skills and experience:
Proactively engage with BDUK to understand the organisational goals and challenges
Understand and demonstrate experience in a range of user-centred practices
Effectively include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities
Align research activities across the UCD team and the organisation to inform and drive high value research for BDUK projects
Play a key role to lead a community of practice to help BDUK continually assure, improve and innovate their user research
Proactively support the UCD team to adopt a wide range of analysis and synthesis techniques, and to continually assure, improve and innovate their practices to generate clear and valuable findings
Proactively advocate inclusive practices and help BDUK to design and deliver accessible services that work for all users
Support BDUK to adopt a wide range of user research methods
Proactively support BDUK to understand the ways that digital technology is changing user behaviour, and the challenges and opportunities for the design and delivery of government services
Proactively support BDUK to understand the diversity of users of government services
Proactively support BDUK to adopt user-centred practices
Advocate user research, and engage sceptical colleagues and stakeholders in BDUK
In addition to the role criteria outlined previously, other desirable qualities are described below:
Desirable criteria
Experience working in government or public sector organisations
Experience of leading on large scale and complex projects
In depth knowledge of the digital market
In depth knowledge of up and coming technological trends
Strong technical digital skills