Lead Interaction Designer (Infected Blood Compensation Authority) - CO - G6
Government Digital & Data -
Location
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
About the job
Job summary
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is a new arm’s-length body which is being set up, at unprecedented pace, to administer compensation to people whose lives have been impacted by the infected blood scandal.
Are you driven and ready for an opportunity which will make a real impact? This is an exciting, challenging and fulfilling role that requires pace, impact, sensitivity, and compassion.
The multidisciplinary teams are organised around delivering our mission and priorities. These are:
- to create a user-centred, empathetic end-to-end service at the heart of IBCA;
- to provide the means of paying compensation to those eligible; and
- to iterate our service through starting small and scaling fast, through a test and learn approach.
The Lead Interaction Designer will report to the Head of Product and will sit within IBCA’s Digital Service Design Directorate. The role includes line management responsibility for Senior Interaction Designer(s).
Opportunities to move to the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA)
At the moment all IBCA roles are hosted by Cabinet Office within the Civil Service. However, once IBCA becomes operational, it is anticipated that most of these roles will transfer to IBCA, which is a new Arms Length Body (ALB) separate from the Cabinet Office. Roles that transfer to IBCA from Cabinet Office will maintain the same or substantially the same terms and conditions of employment that are overall no less favourable. It is anticipated that employees who move from Cabinet Office to IBCA will be able to continue to participate in the Civil Service Pension arrangements with no break in their pensionable service. Roles commencing after IBCA has become operational will be with IBCA itself on similar terms and conditions. All successful candidates will receive full details of the terms and conditions of employment for their role with their formal job offer.
Please note that the mission of IBCA means that it is likely to be operational for a period of approximately 5 to 7 years. When IBCA’s work begins to wind down, IBCA employees will receive support and practical guidance to find a new role, whether in the Civil Service, another Arms Length Body (ALB), or an external employer.
Job description
This role aligns against the Lead Interaction Designer role from the Government Digital and Data Framework.
You will lead the effectiveness of the Interaction Design practice, creating the strategy that will enable the long-term vision for the IBCA to be achieved. You will support Senior Interaction Designers to deliver high quality products and services that align with the IBCAs vision. Using your strategic oversight, you will work alongside the Digital and Service Design senior team to ensure there is sufficient capacity and capability to meet user needs and deliver service outcomes. You will be working in a complex environment, you’ll need to balance empathy with delivery and bring a clear evidence-based approach to decision making.
Main Responsibilities
As the Lead Interaction Designer in IBCA you will:
- Design and Develop a User-Centred Service: Work in agile, multidisciplinary teams to rapidly develop design concepts for a complex service, collaborating with service design leads and Deputy Directors across all directorates. This includes actively participating in user research, creating prototypes, and designing user interactions across various channels, devices, and technologies, all while being able to justify design decisions with evidence and data.
- Promote and Implement Design Excellence: Champion a consistent, high-quality user experience by promoting reusable design elements and best practices across IBCA and wider government communities. This involves contributing to user-centred design standards and guidance, utilising the GOV.UK Design System, and ensuring designs meet accessibility, legal, and security requirements, as well as the GOV.UK Service Standard.
- Lead and Mentor Design Professionals: Provide management support, coaching, mentoring, and training to other designers (including Senior and Working level Interaction Designers), focusing on their development, the quality of their work, and ensuring adherence to best practices.
- Foster a positive and inclusive team environment that promotes wellbeing, collaboration, and a supportive culture aligned with departmental values
Person specification
The following essential criteria will be used to establish suitability for role and this is what we will be sifting applications against.
- Experience working effectively in an agile, multi-disciplinary team environment, delivering iterative design components as part of a project team.
- Experience in designing accessible solutions across various channels to meet customer needs.
- Proven ability to produce essential user-centred design deliverables, such as user flows, process flows, service blueprints, and site maps.
- Experience in conducting usability testing, either independently or collaboratively with user researchers.
- Demonstrated experience working with the GOV.UK Design System, Service Manual, design principles and UK Prototyping kit.
- Experience in providing design leadership and coaching within an IxD community leading community.
Additional information:
A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Developing Self and Others
- Delivering at Pace
