Senior Content Designer

Location: Remote (may require some UK travel). Methods Business and Digital Technology Limited is based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom.

We are recruiting for a Senior Content Designer on a permanent basis. You will have a passion for making things easier for people to understand to help users complete their goal. Experience in a public sector environment with a working knowledge of standards such as the Service Standard is required.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Planning, writing and managing usable and accessible content in line with GDS/GOV.UK Content Design guidelines and standards.
• Producing content that is accurate, timely, relevant, easy to understand, SEO‑optimised and meets style guidelines.
• Managing stakeholders and building successful relationships, explaining content decisions.
• Using analytical and problem‑solving skills to help the team solve design problems and challenge assumptions.
• Championing user‑centred design practices for digital products and services.
• Advocating for accessible digital products and services.
• Being an active part of the Content Design Community of Practice, sharing ideas, best practice and proactively offering help and support.
• Taking responsibility for content quality, including coaching and mentoring content designers.
• Supporting team members’ learning, skills growth and career progression.
• Line‑managing members of the content design team – offering project support, guidance, holding 1:1s, probation reviews and appraisals, approving timecards, expenses and leave.
• Supporting the Head of Content with training and development plans, project planning, recruitment activities, sales and marketing activities.
• Helping create a welcoming, safe and inclusive team environment – encouraging mutual peer‑to‑peer support and work‑life balance.

Skills we are looking for:

• Producing user‑centred content: evidence‑based content design meeting GDS/GOV.UK standards, deep understanding of end‑to‑end journeys, and ability to identify journey fixes or content improvements.
• Experience as a content designer in an agile environment: understanding of agile approaches and advocating for the role of content design within multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills: ability to communicate varied information to a range of audiences.
• Stakeholder relationship management: negotiate, influence, communicate, remove blockers while focusing on user needs.
• Strategic thinking: leading design and implementation of strategies and evaluating impact and progress.
• Understanding user needs: collaborate with user researchers to gain insights and make decisions based on findings.
• Accessibility: put accessibility at the heart of content design and encourage others to do the same.
• People management: assure quality of junior colleagues and coach them to improve.
• Ensuring quality: review and evaluate content regularly, contributing to continuous improvements.

Additional skills and behaviours:

• Proactive approach to environmental issues and embedding environmental responsibility.
• Proactive approach to diversity, equality and inclusion.
• Experience in creating and updating prototypes, from paper sketches to coded prototypes (e.g., GOV.UK Prototype Kit).

Benefits

• Autonomy to develop and grow skills and experience.
• Be part of exciting project work that makes a difference in society.
• Strong, inspiring and thought‑provoking leadership.
• A supportive and collaborative environment.
• Development: access to LinkedIn Learning, a management development programme and training.
• Wellness: 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme.
• Flexible working: including home working and part time.
• Social: office parties, breakfast Tuesdays, monthly pizza Thursdays, Thirsty Thursdays and commitment to charitable causes.
• Time off: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays. Option to buy 5 extra days each year.
• Volunteering: 2 paid days per year to volunteer in local communities or charities.
• Pension: Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution.
• Discretionary company bonus based on performance.
• Life assurance: 4 times base salary.
• Private medical insurance: non‑contributory (spouse and dependants included).
• Worldwide travel insurance: non‑contributory (spouse and dependants included).
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
• Travel: season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme.

For a full list of benefits please visit our website: www.methods.co.uk/careers/benefits.