Joint Intelligence Organisation - Senior Visual Analyst (Graphic Designer / UX)

On behalf of the Cabinet Office (Joint Intelligence Organisation), we are looking for a Senior Visual Analyst (Graphic Designer / UX) based in Whitehall, London (hybrid).

Job Summary

Are you an exceptional designer who wants to apply visual storytelling to the absolute core of the UK’s national security decisions?

About the JIO

The Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO) primarily supports the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) and the Foreign Policy and Security Council, the Prime Minister and other key decision-makers by providing thoughtful, thorough all-source intelligence assessment on a vast range of national security and foreign policy priorities. Our work covers, and goes beyond, 'traditional' national security topics such as geopolitical issues and threats to British interests. We apply a national security lens to issues such as emerging technology, economic and health security, climate change and horizon scanning.

The Role

As a Senior Visual Analyst within the Insights Hub, you will work under the JIO's Principal Graphic Designer to play a pivotal role in translating complex intelligence assessments into clear, compelling visual narratives. You will operate as part of an interdisciplinary team, collaborating directly with all-source analysts to determine the most effective methods for conveying information through data visualisation and cartography. Beyond traditional design, you will lead the JIO's focus on User Experience (UX), driving a strategic change in how intelligence is presented. This includes exploring dynamic and interactive visualisations to move the organisation beyond static document formats. Your work will ensure that visual outputs are as robust and rigorous as the written analysis they support.

Responsibilities

• Visual Storytelling & Narrative Design: Lead the design and production of high-quality static and dynamic information graphics, including maps, charts, diagrams, and infographics. You will be responsible for translating complex data and ambiguous information into clear, compelling visual narratives that directly support high-level decision-making for senior leaders.
• Strategic Visual Consulting: Act as a primary visual consultant for JIO analysts. You will collaborate with assessment drafting teams early in the creative process to identify strategic opportunities where visuals can replace or enhance dense text, fostering a visual-first mindset across the organisation.
• Innovation & User Experience (UX): Drive the modernisation of JIO products by applying user-centred design principles to our core product suite. You will identify and test new tools and techniques - moving the organisation toward interactive, digital-first, and data-driven formats - to ensure intelligence is intuitive and impactful for the audience.
• Design Partnership & Networking: Build and maintain a robust network of design partnerships across HMG and with international partners. You will share best practices and harmonise visual standards to ensure the JIO remains at the absolute forefront of government design innovation.
• Brand Stewardship & Accessibility: Maintain and evolve the JIO's visual identity and style guides. You will ensure all products meet rigorous accessibility standards, guaranteeing that critical national security insights are accessible to all relevant audiences.

Person Specification

Skills and Experience Required

We want to hear from you if you have a passion for complex problem-solving and possess the following skills:

Essential Skills and Experience

• Design Software Proficiency: Proficient in an industry-standard design software, particularly the Adobe Creative Cloud suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop) with a strong portfolio of information design or data visualisation.
• Process & Principles: You have an understanding of design principles, layout, typography, and hierarchy, with the ability to negotiate design solutions under tight deadlines. A track record of identifying design trends or tools and successfully implementing them to improve organisational outputs.
• User Experience (UX) Application: Demonstrable experience in applying UX principles to document or digital product design, with an ability to map user journeys.
• Information Synthesis: Excellent ability to simplify complex concepts and large amounts of information into digestible, accurate visual formats.
• Consultative Communication: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interpret requirements from non-technical stakeholders and negotiate design solutions under tight deadlines.
• Implementation Track Record: A track record of identifying new design trends or tools and successfully implementing them to improve organisational outputs.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience of intelligence assessment or working within a national security context.
• An existing network of contacts in the design, visualisation, or user-centred design fields across government, external organisations or international partners.
• Experience in using a Geographic Information System (GIS), particularly MAPublisher, QGIS or ArcGIS Pro.

We invest in upskilling our team members to enable them to thrive once they start working with us. As such, if you don’t quite match these desirable skills, don’t let it put you off applying as we will equip the successful candidate with them once you are in post.

Additional information

Cabinet Office policy is that a minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. For some roles, due to their nature and the business need, this may be up to 100%. 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:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

Alongside your salary of £47,670, Cabinet Office contributes £13,809 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Annual salary increases will depend upon individual performance and contribution to the organisation’s success. In addition, there will be the opportunity to earn performance-related bonuses.

Existing civil servants can take up the post on loan from their parent department for the duration advertised (permission from their parent department would need to be secured in order to take up the post). Those joining on level transfer will retain their current salary. Staff joining on promotion terms will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary or the pay band minimum whichever is the greater. Staff joining on promotion will adopt the modernised terms and conditions of employment which came into force in 2013.

Pension: There is a choice of excellent pension schemes. More information about pension provisions can be found at www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions

Flexible Working: Flexible working including job-share arrangements may be considered for this role.

Leave allowances: 25 days' paid leave per annum rising to 30 days after five years' service. In addition, full-time staff receive eight public holidays and the Kings Birthday privilege day as well as competitive maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave.

Crisis working: As the JIO and PHIA are at the heart of national security function for the UK, there are occasionally times where we need to respond to incidents of crisis or critical importance. Staff in any role may be asked to work extended or anti-social hours with little or no notice on such occasions.

Location: The post will be based in Westminster, London. No relocation costs will be available.

Equality and Diversity: The Cabinet Office is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff. We will not discriminate on grounds of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, those with caring responsibilities, part-time workers or any other factor irrelevant to a person’s work. We encourage a diverse workforce and aim to provide a working environment where all staff at all levels are valued and respected, and where discrimination, bullying, promotion of negative stereotyping and harassment are not tolerated.

Civil Service Code: All civil servants are subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Code which details Civil Service values, standards of behaviour, rights and responsibilities.

Things you need to know

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.

Further information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section. Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

This post requires British nationality (some dual nationals may be ineligible) and Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. You will also need to undergo additional security clearance checks, with the offer of employment being conditional on obtaining all necessary security clearances. There are limitations on travelling to a small number of countries once in post. For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website. Applications from candidates with close connections to certain countries may take considerably longer to process, or in some cases result in a withdrawal of an offer of employment. Further details will be provided at the conditional offer stage.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Any move to Cabinet Office 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return. Current Civil Servants (all contract types) will need to ensure that they are still employed as a civil servant at the point of starting in the relevant new post. If their contract ends (e.g., end of FTA contract or resignation) at any point during the recruitment/onboarding process for the advertised role, they will no longer be eligible and may be withdrawn.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact the Government Recruitment Service as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. This vacancy is open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.