The public sector client is looking to recruit a Content Designer for a 12 month temporary contract for 12 months based in Manchester. The successful candidate will need to work in the office onsite in Manchester at least 2 days a week. Ideally the client is looking for candidates with an SC Clearance, however, will consider candidates without the higher level of security clearance. You must however be eligible to have one sponsored by the client, if your cv is selected and you are offered the job. You will need to have a valid DBS at the outset of the assignment.

Description of services: Working in a multi-disciplinary team to design user-centred content for Universal Credit (UC) claimants and staff. Building domain knowledge around that team’s ‘theme’. Collaborating with user researchers, interaction designers and other disciplines and stakeholders to identify the best ways to meet user needs within departmental and technical constraints. Working with content design colleagues to identify and implement improvements to existing content, working practices and processes. Supporting content colleagues by providing constructive feedback on their work. Helping non-content colleagues to understand the value of user-centred content design (as opposed to copy editing). Advocating for an evidence-based approach to content design decisions. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of content design guidance. Attending regular and ad hoc meetings with theme teams and the content team.

Maintains and updates content management processes to meet the needs of users including those with disabilities. Selects appropriate channels through which content should be published, providing advice to users and content authors to leverage the features of the relevant channels and tools used. Applies propriety guidelines and uses appropriate tools and techniques to provide publishing interfaces to new or existing platforms and applications. Identifies the implications of copyright, data protection and other legal issues associated with publishing. Encourage joined up teamwork within own team and across other groups. Establish professional relationships with a range of stakeholders. Collaborate with these stakeholders to share information, resources and support. Invest time to develop a common focus and genuine positive team spirit where colleagues feel valued and respect one another. Put in place support for the wellbeing of individuals within the team, including consideration of your own needs. Make it clear to all team members that bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable. Actively seek and consider input of people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Understand own level of responsibility and empower others to make decisions where appropriate. Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions. Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making. Display confidence when making difficult decisions, even if they prove to be unpopular. Consult with others to ensure the potential impacts on end users have been considered. Present strong recommendations in a timely manner outlining the consideration of other options, costs, benefits and risks. Work with others to identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to use fewer resources. Use technology where possible to increase efficiency. Encourage ideas for change from a wide range of sources. Clearly explain the reasons for change to colleagues and how to implement them, supporting individuals with different needs to adapt to change. Encourage an environment where colleagues know that they can challenge decisions and issues safely. Take managed risks by fully considering the varied impacts changes could have on the diverse range of end users. Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact. Encourage the use of different communication methods, including digital resources, and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness. Ensure communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people’s individual needs. Share information as appropriate and check understanding. Show positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same. Ensure that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders respectfully, taking into consideration the diversity of interests. Show a positive approach to keeping the whole team’s efforts focused on the top priorities. Promote a culture of following the appropriate procedures to ensure results are achieved on time while still enabling innovation. Ensure the most appropriate resources are available for colleagues to use to do their job effectively. Regularly monitor your own and team’s work against milestones ensuring individual needs are considered when setting tasks. Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance. Allow individuals the space and authority to meet objectives, providing additional support Understand the strategic drivers for your area of work. Align activities to contribute to wider organisational priorities. Remain alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact your work area. Seek out and share experiences to develop knowledge of the team’s business area. Understand how the strategies and activities of the team create value and meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders.  Have experience of working at pace in an agile environment and from a digital perspective

Maintains and updates content management processes to meet the needs of users including those with disabilities. Selects appropriate channels through which content should be published, providing advice to users and content authors to leverage the features of the relevant channels and tools used. Applies propriety guidelines and uses appropriate tools and techniques to provide publishing interfaces to new or existing platforms and applications. Identifies the implications of copyright, data protection and other legal issues associated with publishing. Encourage joined up teamwork within own team and across other groups. Establish professional relationships with a range of stakeholders. Collaborate with these stakeholders to share information, resources and support. Invest time to develop a common focus and genuine positive team spirit where colleagues feel valued and respect one another. Put in place support for the wellbeing of individuals within the team, including consideration of your own needs. Make it clear to all team members that bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable. Actively seek and consider input of people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Understand own level of responsibility and empower others to make decisions where appropriate. Analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support decisions. Invite challenge and where appropriate involve others in decision making. Display confidence when making difficult decisions, even if they prove to be unpopular. Consult with others to ensure the potential impacts on end users have been considered. Present strong recommendations in a timely manner outlining the consideration of other options, costs, benefits and risks. Work with others to identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to use fewer resources. Use technology where possible to increase efficiency. Encourage ideas for change from a wide range of sources. Clearly explain the reasons for change to colleagues and how to implement them, supporting individuals with different needs to adapt to change. Encourage an environment where colleagues know that they can challenge decisions and issues safely. Take managed risks by fully considering the varied impacts changes could have on the diverse range of end users. Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact. Encourage the use of different communication methods, including digital resources, and highlight the benefits, including ensuring cost effectiveness. Ensure communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people’s individual needs. Share information as appropriate and check understanding. Show positivity and enthusiasm towards work, encouraging others to do the same. Ensure that important messages are communicated with colleagues and stakeholders respectfully, taking into consideration the diversity of interests. Show a positive approach to keeping the whole team’s efforts focused on the top priorities. Promote a culture of following the appropriate procedures to ensure results are achieved on time while still enabling innovation. Ensure the most appropriate resources are available for colleagues to use to do their job effectively. Regularly monitor your own and team’s work against milestones ensuring individual needs are considered when setting tasks. Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance. Allow individuals the space and authority to meet objectives, providing additional support Understand the strategic drivers for your area of work. Align activities to contribute to wider organisational priorities. Remain alert to emerging issues and trends which might impact your work area. Seek out and share experiences to develop knowledge of the team’s business area. Understand how the strategies and activities of the team create value and meet the diverse needs of all stakeholders.  Have experience of working at pace in an agile environment and from a digital perspective.

Key tasks and deliverables You will be at ease working in an agile environment with rapidly changing deadlines, workloads and goals, and will:  work with user researchers and other colleagues to identify and understand user needs, including attending user research sessions  work with business analysts and other colleagues to understand departmental aims, policy intent and technical constraints  create content to meet user needs within those constraints – mostly in the UC online service, but also in other channels, such as our wiki pages  develop and apply content and format strategies for the service, possibly including training materials  work on needs analysis to identify content gaps and overlaps  manage relationships with subject matter experts to make sure content is accurate and ties in with the core proposition  monitor the performance of content to understand user behaviour and feedback  identify ways to improve the content and the tools and processes we use to design and create it

• Have exemplary spelling and grammar and be able to write and edit using a style guide and plain English • Be able to take a user-centred approach to content design and be able to explain design decisions and other ideas in a way that other people understand • Be able to put forward the case for content design to senior stakeholders and product owners • Know how to plan user research and be able to use data and user research to inform content design decisions • Be able to handle constructive criticism of your work and to constructively review other people’s work • Have experience of how your work fits into the wider context of the team and department Preferred • Be able to share content ideas quickly through sketching or prototyping