Head of User Centred Design

Job summary

We are MHCLG

MHCLG is looking for two Heads of User Centred Design, to join the Funding Service and Local Digital programmes. The Local Digital team supports councils across England to deliver more secure, user-centred, cost-effective local public services through open, collaborative and reusable work. The Funding Service is transforming how MHCLG delivers grant funding to councils, community organisations and local services across the country - making it faster, more consistent, cost-effective and user-centred across the full lifecycle.

As the Head of User Centred Design for one of these programmes, you’ll set the direction for User Centred Design (UCD) in your teams. You’ll champion the context and experience of our users, ensuring that their needs are at the heart of everything we do. You'll develop and assure the quality of UCD work across the programme, coaching teams to develop design concepts, embed good practice and share learnings with each other. You’ll ensure that decisions are being taken based on research and evidence. You'll be an expert at advocating for user-centred design, convincing stakeholders to interact with real users and finding pragmatic ways of influencing teams operating at pace in ambiguous environments to incorporate UCD into their work and decision making.

This role will work with a range of disciplines, including a growing number of Civil Servants from a range of UCD professions and individuals from third-party suppliers. This is a leadership and management role - you may support UCD activities in the team, but your primary focus will be on leading your team and their delivery and influencing our stakeholders.

Find out more about our Digital teams and what they are working on through our MHCLG Digital blog. Please note that MHCLG do not offer visa sponsorship and applicants will need a valid visa for the duration of your employment.

Job description

As a Head of UCD you'll;

* be a visible leader, setting the direction of user centred design on the programme and advocating for the importance of designing user-centred services, accessibility, and improved policy design, including with senior stakeholders and Ministers

* advise and coach peers and teams members on design thinking, providing specific steers and expertise across the programme where needed

*support your programme’s blended UCD team of civil servants and third party staff, helping individuals feel involved and supported in their professions, help them to identify improvements in their ways of working and use their insights to influence the product roadmap

* play a leadership role in the department's UCD communities, contributing to the development and adoption of shared best practices for UCD professions

* be an excellent people manager who can develop and empower a high performing team

Person specification

As a Head of UCD you'll have;

* experience in growing and mentoring a high-performing UCD team, establishing processes and methodologies to ensure user-centred design principles are integrated into product development activities

* a strong understanding of user-centred design practices and methods, enabling you to support and coach team members and assure the quality of UCD work

* experience of championing continuous service design in a multidisciplinary team, including prioritisation of UCD work to deliver the most value to users

* experience of building effective relationships and working closely with policy stakeholders to embed design principles at the very earliest stages of policy and design thinking

* strategic thinking skills, identifying opportunities for user-centred design to add value, and communicating those opportunities clearly to stakeholders and decision makers

* experience in people management and leading teams through ambiguity, uncertainty, challenge, or change

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,686, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £21,057 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Behaviours , Experience , Strengths , Technical

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Stage 1: Sift (CV)

Experience

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

Stage 2: Short Interview

• Behaviours: Developing Self and Others

• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Stage 3: Full Interview

• Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing
• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.
• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

• Strengths: The strength-based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place from 24th September 2026 with interview dates to follow.

Interviews are currently being held remotely via videocall