HMRC is one of the largest organisations in the UK, and we run the biggest digital operation in Government. Our digital business runs the IT behind tax and benefits services for 45 million individual and 4.9 million business customers.

We’re making HMRC’s services and information simpler, clearer and faster for individuals and businesses. Our role sits within HMRC’s Chief Digital & Information Group (CDIO) where we are focusing on ensuring customers can do more for themselves online, in real time, on computers, tablets and smartphones therefore we are building a team of outstanding people.

To do that, we need Design Leads who provide leadership to our teams enabling them to design intuitive and user-focussed, successful services.

Our team members:
• Work in the areas of Service Design, Content Design, Interaction Design and Graphic Design.
• Collaborate with a wide range of fields, business areas and colleagues, including policy and process owners, on the best way to meet user needs through content and services and end-to-end journeys.

As a Design Lead, you will help our teams in CDIO, the technology part of HMRC, design intuitive and user-focussed, successful services maintaining an overview of the work taking place, building design culture and expertise and playing a key role in embedding design skills and service standards.

You will be a core part of the Design Leadership team, helping to deliver strategic and organisational change through your work with Designers in project teams.

Responsibilities • Influence Senior Leaders in the department to build their understanding and support of design in agile
• Influence operational design, leading how it is implemented in design team practice
• Help ensure that Designers have the right conditions and environment to thrive
• Establish and lead local professions community events/sessions in collaboration with Heads of Profession
• Collaborate with the Head of Interaction Design, Head of Content Design, Head of Service Design and Head of User Research to provide vision and leadership for the overall user-centred design profession
• Contribute to effective recruitment and demand and resource planning, in collaboration with the wider team
• Provide line management, career and skills mentoring to Senior Designers
• Be an active leader in the cross-government design community, discussing and sharing suggestions, approaches and ideas.

As a Design Lead, you will also play a key role in embedding design skills and service standards across a wide portfolio of services through:

• Using your specialist skills to demonstrate best practice and to coach and mentor teams
• Engaging with designers and delivery teams to develop concepts and to deliver high-quality digital services, based on user needs and meeting HMRC and GDS (Government Digital Service) design standards
• Help teams understand connections and potential collisions between different services and help to reconcile these
• Influencing and assuring the quality of the design delivery within their programme of services using tools such as peer review/critiques and accessible design reviews

Essential criteria
You need to have:
• Extensive experience in Design Leadership, including coaching and mentoring more junior colleagues, with the ability to empower, lead and develop a large diverse team ensuring resources are organised appropriately and effectively
• Proven experience in engaging with, and influencing, key individuals/teams to deliver outcomes - including experience in introducing positive change to working practices or teams
• Extensive experience in establishing positive working relationships and influencing and persuading at all levels
• Excellent planning and organisational skills and able to prioritise to meet deadlines and cope with fluctuations in workload
• Designing, prototyping and iterating accessible, usable digital services that are based on user needs, as an interaction, content or service designer
• Helping teams understand the wider service context of a project or product
• Working in an agile, multi-disciplinary and collaborative environment
• A degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent extensive experience

Desirable Criteria
It would be great if you also have:
• Experience in designing end-to-end services, across multiple products and channels
• Experience in developing design or content strategy, knowledge management, or other content-related expertise
• Experience working with the Service Manual and/or GOV.UK standards and working practices
• Familiarity with the GOV.UK design system and prototyping kit

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company! We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process.