At a Glance
- Tasks: Create engaging animations and visuals to simplify complex ideas for HMRC.
- Company: Join HM Revenue & Customs, a vital part of the UK government focused on user-centred design.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a supportive design community.
- Other info: Opportunities for mentorship and career progression within a diverse team.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by improving tax services for millions while growing your design skills.
- Qualifications: Strong animation skills, proficiency in Adobe tools, and a portfolio showcasing your work.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 63000 £ per year.
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Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Telford, Worthing
Job Summary
Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you\'re seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.
We’re looking for a talented and passionate Senior Graphic Designer (Animator) to help communicate our vision for user centred design through clear, accessible and engaging visual design.
Based in our User-centred Design (UCD) practice in the Chief Technology and Design Office (CTDO), you’ll shape how we communicate complex ideas, visions and processes to internal teams and stakeholders across HMRC. Your animations and visuals will support collaboration, build understanding and influence how services are designed to meet real user needs.
Our UCD team works across major programmes and business areas, providing design expertise, tools and guidance. We’ve helped shape some of HMRC’s most important services - and now we’re growing our visual design capability to do even more.
You’ll create animations, illustrations, and other visual content that supports service teams, drives behavioural insight, and improves user understanding. You’ll work in a supportive, multidisciplinary environment with opportunities to stretch your skills, influence decisions, and contribute to a thriving design community.
This is a chance to make a real difference - simplifying the tax system and improving outcomes for millions. If you’re looking for your next challenge, we’d love to hear from you.
Job Description
A Senior Graphic Designer (Animator) is an experienced motion designer who works with minimal support and plays a key role in influencing and mentoring others. You’ll use your animation and motion graphics expertise to enhance user experience by creating engaging, accessible, and informative visual content. Your work will support user research and service design, helping communicate key insights, challenges, and future vision to teams and stakeholders.
In This Role You Will:
- create high-quality animations, motion graphics and other design artefacts that support service design and align with accessibility standards.
- work closely with user researchers and service designers, to understand user needs and behaviours, using insights to inform animation choices.
- collaborate with multidisciplinary teams - including content designers, user researchers and service designers - to design animations that create a cohesive visual narrative.
- ensure accessibility in all motion design work, making visual content perceivable and operable for a wide range of diverse users.
- support knowledge-sharing and engagement, using animation and visual storytelling to raise awareness of the service’s goals among stakeholders.
- create engaging workshop materials that support co-creation, ideation, and visual communication of design decisions.
- Mentor and support designers, providing guidance, feedback, and direction.
- Take an active role in HMRC and cross-government design communities, leading sessions and encouraging collaboration.
- Seek out learning and development opportunities by gathering feedback and sharing knowledge with peers.
You Will Also Be Expected To:
- Mentor and support designers, providing guidance, feedback, and direction.
- Take an active role in HMRC and cross-government design communities, leading sessions and encouraging collaboration.
- Seek out learning and development opportunities by gathering feedback and sharing knowledge with peers.
Essential Criteria
Graphic Design and Animation Experience
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:-
- Strong understanding of animation principles, typography, colour theory and layout.
- A portfolio that shows high-quality work in animation, motion design and visual content for digital platforms.
- Proficiency in industry-standard tools like Adobe After Effects, Blender, and the wider Adobe Creative Suite.
- Applying accessibility standards to visual and motion design.
- Using design and animation to clearly communicate complex ideas, decisions and insights to diverse audiences - including documenting and explaining design choices to build consensus and highlight risks (Design communication).
- Designing strategically by using visual design to communicate insight and future direction, considering wider organisational goals, risks and constraints (Designing strategically).
- Designing and collaborating with other disciplines to create visual artefacts and workshop materials that support collaboration and knowledge sharing (Designing together).
- Using iterative design methods to develop and improve visual content, including prototyping, testing and refining your work based on feedback and user research (Iterative design).
You will be part of a thriving and supportive design community, with regular opportunities for training, collaboration and career development. Our team brings together experts from diverse backgrounds and sectors, and we welcome new ideas that help us grow and create real-world impact.
As part of our user-centred design community, you’ll have access to:
- a clear career path with support for progression and development.
- community of practice sessions where you can learn from others, grow and develop.
- peer support channels where you can ask questions and share experiences.
- opportunities to grow beyond your main role, for example becoming a service assessor or design reviewer.
We\'ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Design communication (Practitioner)
- Designing strategically (Practitioner)
- Designing together (Practitioner)
- Iterative design (Practitioner)
HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.
We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.
- Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues’ Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
- Family friendly policies.
- Personal support.
- Coaching and development.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
How To Apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
- A name-blind CV including your job history, previous skills and experiences and qualifications, highlighting your responsibilities, achievements, relevant qualifications and training.
- A 1000-word personal statement that shows how you meet the essential criteria and technical skills - and tells us why you’d like to join HMRC.
We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application. Find our guidelines here.
Sift
If we receive a high number of applications, we may complete an initial sift based on your CV. This will focus on actual design experience, particularly animation and motion design.
At full sift your CV and your Personal Statement will both be assessed, noting the essential criteria and technical skills with the successful candidates being invited to interview.
We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.
Interview
During the panel interview, you will be asked to:-
- showcase two examples from your portfolio that demonstrate the technical skills and experience required for the role. Details will be provided with your interview invite.
- Answer structured experience-based questions that let you demonstrate your experience and alignment with the 4 technical skills relevant to the role as listed within the advert.
- Design communication (Practitioner).
- Designing strategically (Practitioner).
- Designing together (Practitioner).
- Iterative design (Practitioner).
Eligibility
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. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – 411541 & vacancy closing date 10/07/2025’.
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we\'ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.
Merit List
After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.
Criminal Record Check
Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact the UBS Recruitment team via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Important Information For Existing HMRC Contractual Homeworkers:
This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you can travel to.
Additional Information
We are looking into ways to enhance the applicant experience.
As part of our legitimate interests, we are testing the use of new technologies such as automation and/or Artificial Intelligence in the assessment for CV, personal statement and behaviour statement.
Please note that for this specific vacancy, this testing may run in parallel with our standard assessment process and will not influence or determine the outcome of your application in any way. You can read the Civil Service Jobs and HMRC Privacy Notices for more information about our lawful basis for processing your personal data and HMRC’s use of AI.
If you don’t want your data to be used as part of the trial, please send your Application ID and the Vacancy Reference to talentacquisitionaiteam@hmrc.gov.uk
Terms and Conditions
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.
HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.
Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.
Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
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.
New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.
Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the \'Contact point for applicants\' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
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.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Vicky Williamson
- Email : vicky.williamson@hmrc.gov.uk
- Telephone : 03000 572761
- Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles.
In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their website.
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#J-18808-LjbffrSenior Graphic Designer in North East employer: HM Revenue & Customs
HM Revenue & Customs is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment where innovation and collaboration thrive. As an Agile Delivery Manager, you will benefit from a strong focus on professional development, with ample opportunities for growth and advancement within the public sector. Located in a supportive atmosphere that values transparency and teamwork, you will play a vital role in shaping digital services that make a real difference to users across the UK.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Graphic Designer in North East
✨Show Off Your Skills with a Killer Portfolio
As a graphic designer, your portfolio is your secret weapon! Make sure it's not just a collection of your work but showcases your creative process too. Use platforms like Behance or Dribbble to share your designs and gain visibility within the design community.
✨Get Involved in Design Meetups
Networking is key in the design world! Check out local design meetups or workshops where you can connect with other creatives and potential employers. This is a goldmine for finding unadvertised job openings at companies like HM Revenue & Customs.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you’re applying for a full-time role at a creative company like HM Revenue & Customs, don’t go for a one-size-fits-all approach. Ensure your application highlights specific projects or styles that align with their brand image, showing that you’re a perfect fit for their team.
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in landing your dream design job! Share your work on platforms like Instagram or Pinterest, and engage with accounts from your desired companies—this could put you on their radar before they start hiring.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Graphic Designer in North East
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Portfolio:Your portfolio is your visual CV! Make sure to include a link to your best design projects that showcase your creativity and versatility. Tailor it to include works that relate to the kind of design work HM Revenue & Customs does, so they can see you in action.
Tailor Your CV for Design:When crafting your CV, highlight your design skills and software proficiencies, like Adobe Creative Suite or Sketch. Mention any relevant experience you have with branding, UI/UX design, or typography, as we want to see how you fit in with the creative team at HM Revenue & Customs.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, share your design philosophy and what excites you about working at HM Revenue & Customs. Let us know how you approach your design projects and any specific campaigns or themes that resonate with you, showing we’re not just a good fit but a perfect match!
Highlight Collaboration Skills:As a graphic designer, you often work with various teams and stakeholders. In your application, mention experiences where you've collaborated with others to bring a project to life, whether it's with clients, writers, or developers. This shows you can thrive in a team environment, which is key at HM Revenue & Customs.
How to prepare for a job interview at HM Revenue & Customs
✨Get Your Portfolio Ready
Your portfolio is your secret weapon in graphic design interviews! Make sure it's showing off your best work, with a variety of styles and projects that highlight different skills — from branding to digital illustration. Be prepared to talk through each piece, focusing on your creative process and the tools you used.
✨Know Your Design Tools Inside Out
Familiarity with software like Adobe Creative Suite is a must! Brush up on your skills with Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as interviewers might dive into specific technical questions or ask for your workflow. If you’ve worked with any innovative tools or techniques, don't hesitate to showcase that expertise!
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Some companies may throw a design challenge your way during the interview! This might involve sketching out ideas or solving a branding issue on the spot. Practising these quick thinking exercises beforehand can help us show off our creativity and adaptability.
✨Passion Counts
For a full-time position, showing genuine enthusiasm for design is key! Talk about your inspirations, the projects you're excited about, and why you're drawn to HM Revenue & Customs. They want to see not just a skilled designer, but someone who'll bring passion and fresh ideas to the team.