At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead interaction design for a vital public safety programme, ensuring user-centred services.
- Company: Join the Home Office, dedicated to keeping the UK safe and secure.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, potential allowances, and opportunities for personal development.
- Other info: Engage with a vibrant UCD community and promote best practices across government.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on public safety while working in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Must have UK residency for 5 years and experience in interaction design and team leadership.
The predicted salary is between 73900 - 81290 £ per year.
National £73,900 – Max £81,290
London £77,900 – Max £85,690 plus up to £9,000 allowance
Published on 10 July 2025
Deadline 21 July 2025
Location
Croydon CR0 2WF, Manchester M5 3LZ, Sheffield S3 8NU
About the job
Job summary
We are looking for a Lead Interaction Designer who is passionate about designing accessible services for everyone to use.
The Home Office keeps our UK citizens safe and our country secure. We play a fundamental role in the security and economic prosperity of the UK.
You will work in an agile programme, the Multi-Agency Public Protection Service (MAPPS). MAPPS will be used by various organisations, including police forces, prison & probation services, and others. It supports multi-agency oversight of relevant offenders post-custody, especially those considered a risk to the public. As such, MAPPS has a high political profile and a complex network of stakeholders.
You will lead interaction design within a multidisciplinary team comprising business analysts, user researchers, developers, and testers. Your goal will be to deliver world-class, user-centred services for the public and civil servants.
As an experienced interaction designer, you will be responsible for mentoring and leading a team of interaction designers to focus on user needs. Your role involves guiding the team to achieve optimal user outcomes and engaging in hands-on design work.
You may also participate in the wider Home Office and cross-government design communities to promote good interaction design and user-centred approaches.
Learn more about design and research in the Home Office on our Digital and Data blog:
We have a vibrant UCD community. If you want to work with us to make our services easier and more intuitive, apply now.
Your main responsibilities include:
- Delivering excellent interaction design for MAPPS in collaboration with programme colleagues and stakeholders.
- Collaborating with professional leads, delivery managers, and heads of role to ensure appropriate resourcing for interaction design.
- Working with the head of role to assure quality and embed best practices and standards.
- Building an inclusive community of practice among designers across the programme.
- Engaging with senior stakeholders to promote understanding of user-centred design (UCD).
- Line managing, supporting, and mentoring a team of interaction designers across projects.
- Continuously seeking opportunities for personal learning and development.
Person specification
UK residency and security requirements: You must have lived in the UK for the past 5 years.
You will be assessed against the following skills and experience:
- Strategy and advocacy: Influencing the organisation to embed UCD culture and practices, including with senior stakeholders.
- Interaction design: Leading and setting direction, evangelizing UCD principles, advising on best practices and trends.
- Prototyping and concept creation: Managing prototyping processes, applying advanced techniques, guiding junior team members.
- Functional management: Overseeing professional functions, managing priorities aligned with strategic objectives.
- Standards and quality: Maintaining and updating standards and quality guidelines.
- Managing people and leading: Leading larger teams, setting vision and strategy.
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Lead Interaction Designer - HO - G6 employer: Manchester Digital
Contact Detail:
Manchester Digital Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Interaction Designer - HO - G6
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Home Office's mission and values. Understanding their focus on security and public service will help you align your approach to interaction design with their goals, making you a more appealing candidate.
✨Tip Number 2
Engage with the design community within the Home Office. Attend any webinars or events they host, and connect with current employees on platforms like LinkedIn to gain insights into their work culture and expectations.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your experience in leading multidisciplinary teams. Highlight specific projects where you've successfully mentored junior designers and collaborated with various stakeholders to achieve user-centred outcomes.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your advocacy for user-centred design principles. Be ready to share examples of how you've influenced organisational practices and engaged with senior stakeholders to promote UCD in previous roles.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Interaction Designer - HO - G6
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure to thoroughly read the job description for the Lead Interaction Designer position. Understand the responsibilities and required skills, especially around user-centred design and team leadership.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to highlight relevant experience in interaction design, particularly any work that involved mentoring or leading teams. Emphasise your understanding of user needs and your ability to deliver user-centred services.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for accessible design and your experience in leading design teams. Mention specific projects where you successfully implemented user-centred design principles and how you influenced stakeholders.
Showcase Your Portfolio: Include a link to your portfolio that demonstrates your interaction design work. Highlight projects that align with the responsibilities of the role, such as those involving collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholder engagement.
How to prepare for a job interview at Manchester Digital
✨Understand User-Centred Design
Make sure you have a solid grasp of user-centred design principles. Be prepared to discuss how you've applied these in your previous roles, especially in leading teams and influencing stakeholders.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Lead Interaction Designer, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to mentor and guide a team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led design projects and supported junior designers in their development.
✨Familiarise Yourself with MAPPS
Research the Multi-Agency Public Protection Service (MAPPS) and its significance. Understanding its context will help you articulate how your design approach can enhance its usability for various stakeholders.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
Think about how you would engage with senior stakeholders to promote user-centred design. Be ready to share strategies you've used in the past to advocate for design practices within an organisation.