Senior User Researcher

Job Title: Senior User Researcher (Contract) - Public Sector / Digital Services

Contract Length: November
Location: London (Hybrid )
Clearance Required: BPSS

Overview

We are supporting a major UK public sector organisation undertaking large-scale digital transformation across citizen-facing services.

They are seeking an experienced Senior User Researcher to join a multidisciplinary User-Centred Design (UCD) team, contributing to the delivery of high-quality, accessible digital services aligned to GDS standards.

This role will focus on Discovery and Alpha phases, helping shape services that meet the needs of the UK public while supporting evidence-based decision-making across product and design teams.

The Role

You will work as part of a cross-functional UCD team alongside designers, product managers, and engineers to plan and deliver user research activities that inform service design and product direction.

You will play a key role in ensuring services are grounded in real user needs, translating insights into actionable recommendations that drive service improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Plan and conduct user research across Discovery and Alpha phases
Work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary UCD team
Partner closely with Product Managers to shape service direction
Design and execute appropriate research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative)
Synthesise research findings into clear, actionable insights
Advocate for user needs across stakeholders at all levels
Support the design of accessible, user-centred public services
Contribute to service design activities aligned to GDS principles

Essential Experience

Proven experience as a User Researcher within UK Government or NHS environments
Strong understanding of GDS standards and service design principles
Experience delivering research across Discovery and Alpha phases
Demonstrated experience working within cross-functional UCD teams
Experience collaborating with Product Managers to design effective public-facing services
Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills

Desirable Experience

Experience supporting or contributing to GDS / CDDO / MyGov D1 Service Assessments
Exposure to assessment requirements at Discovery and Alpha stages
Experience working in complex, large-scale digital transformation programmes

Candidate Profile

Comfortable operating in fast-paced, delivery-focused public sector environments
Able to balance hands-on research with stakeholder engagement
Confident working autonomously within a contract setting
Focused on delivering measurable outcomes from research activity
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed