At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead user research to shape digital experiences and inform policy and product development.
- Company: Join the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, a leader in digital innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous pension, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Great career development opportunities and a supportive work-life balance.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by championing user needs in a diverse and inclusive environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in user research and strong analytical skills required.
The MCA Digital and Technology function delivers world-class services through technology innovation, strategic transformation, and customer-focused solutions. The Digital and AI team leads the Agency's digital, AI, and innovation strategies, while the User-Centred Design team ensures services are designed around user needs and business objectives. Through expert user research and service design practices, they help create accessible, effective, and user-focused digital services that support the MCA's mission and deliver meaningful outcomes.
The Senior User Researcher leads the planning, design, and delivery of user research to understand user needs, shape services, and inform policy, strategy, and product development. Working within multidisciplinary teams, they champion the voice of the user, ensuring services are accessible, intuitive, and aligned with GDS standards. They manage supplier research outputs, influence decision-making through evidence-based insights, and help deliver inclusive digital services that meet both user and business needs.
Top Responsibilities
- Responsible for leading user research that helps shape digital experiences across complex service areas.
- Generate insights gained from research into formulas to increase the understanding of user needs by developing user personas, journey maps, stories and other artifacts.
- Understand and engage with end users and target audiences to gather information about their needs and how they interact with products and services, to discover what requires research, design, usability testing and continuous improvement.
- Evaluate qualitative and quantitative research to uncover user needs and behaviours.
- Confidently present and promote findings to set out robust and actionable recommendations for services.
Benefits
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary.
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
- 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
- Access to the staff discount portal.
- Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
- Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
- 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
About You
- Previous experience of leading, planning, designing, and conducting appropriate user research in an AGILE project environment.
- Experience in analysing both quantitative and qualitative data to produce user experience artifacts.
- Strong understanding of user-centred practices.
- Aware of the importance of inclusive research.
How to Apply
Read the full description and apply at CS Jobs using the link provided. This vacancy closes at 23:55 on Sunday 6th September.
Senior User Researcher in Southampton employer: Maritime & Coastguard Agency
As a Technical Trainer with HM Coastguard, you will join a dedicated team committed to saving lives at sea and ensuring maritime safety. Our inclusive work culture promotes professional development through excellent training opportunities and a generous benefits package, including a substantial pension contribution and flexible working arrangements. Located in various coastal cities across the UK, this role offers a unique chance to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a supportive environment that values work-life balance.
Contact Details:
Maritime & Coastguard Agency Recruitment Team
