Junior User Researcher (Welsh Language Unit) Cardiff, Wales
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Information Technology
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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
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Location
About the job
Job summary
At HMRC, we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.
We want to maximise the potential of everyone who works for us, and we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make an exciting career at HMRC accessible to you.
Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we encourage applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.
See what it’s like to work at HMRC: find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question. Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
About the Chief Technology and Design Office Group
This role is in Chief Technology and Design Office, part of HMRC’s Chief Digital and Information Office (CDIO). We are responsible for managing all IT demand and change coming into CDIO, as part of this we ensure User Centred Design is at the heart of our designs. This enables us to ensure the solutions we deliver maximise success rates for internal and external users, and so maximise business outcomes and minimise costly rework.
Job description
HMRC is looking for a Junior User Researcher who is a fluent Welsh speaker and passionate about User Centred Design, supporting the work of our Welsh Language team.
HMRC’s services are complex, you need to enjoy tricky problems and thinking broadly about how services and policies will interact. With complex services we have a complex user base – millions of people have to use these services, which means a broad spectrum of different needs and outcomes.
We are looking for people who are curious; as a junior user researcher we’ll help you develop your skills to understand how users will interact with services. We’ll also help you learn how to advocate for your users needs, to help design the right services.
Alongside working on a service problem with another user researcher you’ll be a member of a thriving user research community; the community provides a safe space to test out research ideas, developing your own skills and offering support to other user researchers to attain the best possible outcomes.
HMRC recently hosted its 5th Research Conference, this blog shares some reflections from the event ResCon5,
If this sort of work and supportive community sounds like the sort of thing which excites you, this is the job for you.
Person specification
As a Junior User Researcher, responsibilities include:
- Work with user researchers on planning, recruiting, and conducting user research for Welsh Language Unit projects.
- Work with user researchers to use a range of techniques to analyse and synthesise user research insights.
- Engage in a community of user researchers, contributing to areas of development.
- Participate in HMRC’s cross-government research.
Essential Criteria
You will be able to speak and read confidently and fluently in the Welsh language.
You will already have some experience and understanding of:
- Supporting the planning, recruiting, and conducting of user research activities.
- Supporting the analysis of research insights.
- Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and how these differ
- Supporting the communication of research insights by creating appropriate outputs for stakeholders
- Understanding the importance of designing and building inclusive government services that are usable and accessible to everyone
- Fluent Welsh reader and speaker
Desirable Criteria
Ideally you might also have knowledge and experience of:
- Working with the Service Manual and/or GOV.UK standards and working practices
- Awareness of the importance of inclusive research and including those with barriers to access, accessibility needs and hard-to-reach users in research.
Or you might have:
- A degree in psychology, cognitive science, human factors, computer science, product/interaction design, human computer interaction or related disciplines or relevant user research experience
Languages
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Research Skills
- Analysis and Synthesis
- Inclusive Research
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Team members that are moving offices as a result of the Locations Programme will be entitled to a Moves Adjustment Payment for three years where they incur additional costs. This is calculated based on the difference between the costs of travelling to and from the new and old office, over a weekly period. You will get more detail on this as part of targeted locations move communications.
Find more about HMRC benefits in 'Your little extras and big benefits handbook' for further information or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
As part of the selection process, you will be asked to complete:
- A copy of your CV detailing your job history, qualifications, experience and Welsh language fluency.
- A Personal Statement (a maximum of 500 words), which will outline how you are suitable for this role and how you meet the essential and desirable criteria, providing evidence where possible.
In the event of a large number of applications an initial sift will be carried out on your CV to assess Experience.
If you progress to full sift, we will then review your personal statement to assess your ability to meet the requirements of the job role, essential and desirable criteria.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Interview Process Details
During the panel interview, you will be asked about your Experience (how you meet the Criteria) as well as Technical skills questions which demonstrate the things you do well and/or are motivated by.
You will also be asked to conduct a Welsh speaking and reading exercise as part of the interview – the details of this will be shared at a later stage, prior to interview.
Please Note: The successful applicant for this role will need to be eligible for and willing to undergo standard BPSS Checks following appointment into the post.
Equal Opportunities
At HMRC, we are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process.
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. The inbox to contact is: [email protected] - Use subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application - 270398 & vacancy closing date 7th March 2023.
Security Update
If you are successful and transferring from another Government Department, we will carry out a check of your identity, nationality, and immigration status (including the right to work in the UK) and a criminal record check before confirming your appointment.
Successful candidates must pass a Disclosure and Barring Security Check. Please note that HMRC have an exemption under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, which enables us to make enquiries about both unspent and spent convictions.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
HMRC transformation
HM Revenue and Customs is currently going through an exciting ten-year transformation programme to create a tax authority fit for the future. As part of this, we are committed to providing high-quality jobs and giving employees a great place to work, whichever location you work from.
HM Revenue and Customs has made significant progress with its plans to locate in 14 large, modern, flexible offices, equipped with high-speed digital infrastructure supporting improved customer service and compliance activity. These collaborative workspaces will enable smarter working and great training and development facilities, allowing for the sharing of expertise, local training, promotion, and provide great ongoing career development opportunities.
These offices will be located in central locations in the following towns and cities close to accessible transport links: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Croydon, Portsmouth and Stratford.
In addition, there will also be a small number of specialist sites where the work cannot be done anywhere else, in Gartcosh (near Glasgow), Telford, Ipswich, Worthing and Dover, as well as our headquarters in central London. What’s more, our Welsh language service has people located in Porthmadog, as well as Cardiff.
We are letting you know about our future plans because if you are recruited into an office that is not one of these locations, you will be expected, subject to HM Revenue and Customs applicable policies, to move to one of these locations in the future. In some cases, this will be via one of our nine transitional sites.
For more information please contact the vacancy holder.
Terms and Conditions
We really hope you decide to apply for this role. If you’re successful you need to know that in February 2021 members of recognised trade unions (ARC and PCS) voted to approve a pay and contract reform offer. This means that HMRC will adopt new terms and conditions for all colleagues as part of a multi-year pay deal and contract offer, the pay deal period is 01 June 2020 – 31st May 2023 and terms and conditions changes take place from the 01 June 2021 onwards. These terms will apply to colleagues who already work in HMRC and if you join us, it will apply to you too. We’ve put together a summary of the key changes that will be made and you can find this attached to the Job Advert.
Pay
If you are currently working for an OGD and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Pay on Transfer from OGD" for further information. (Please note the attached document could also be called “Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”)
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Further Information
Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement this will be tested as part of the selection process.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to HMRC from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.
HMRC welcomes applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, taking into account our operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:
Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.
Reasonable adjustment
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. Please see our Disability Matters: How we can support you during our selection process booklet for more details.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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