Senior Interaction Designer - Planning Inspectorate - SEO

Location: Bristol, South West England, BS1 6PN

About the Job

Job summary: Join the Planning Inspectorate as a Senior Interaction Designer and help shape accessible, user-centred services that meet the needs of citizens and staff alike. In this pivotal role, you\'ll work within multiskilled delivery teams to design intuitive, inclusive experiences that function seamlessly across devices, platforms, and channels. You\'ll lead the development and implementation of design standards and patterns, ensuring our services align with the GOV.UK service standard and deliver real value to users.

We\'re looking for a proactive, experienced designer who thrives on complexity and collaboration. You\'ll use research to guide design decisions, advocate for best practices, and contribute to a growing library of departmental design patterns. As a senior member of the team, you\'ll take ownership of your professional growth while mentoring others and championing high-quality design across the organisation. If you\'re passionate about improving public services through thoughtful, accessible design, we’d love to hear from you.

The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history in ensuring a fair planning system for England. The work we do has a significant impact on people’s lives, the communities where they live and the economy.

We want our colleagues to be able to work more flexibly and more collaboratively, exploring new and innovative ways to improve the way we provide services.

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please visit our careers page at Civil Service Careers.

Job Description

You will work with a multi-disciplinary project team. You will analyse problems and design solutions to those problems. You will help to ensure that services focus on user needs. You will work with other designers to improve design approaches and strategies. Your work will meet project goals and delivery cycles. You will be an integral part of the digital team and help maintain design and data standards.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Internal rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

This role is being advertised at SEO Grade. Salary range for the Grade role is £45,219 - £47,341.

Working Hours

Standard working week is 37 hours, flexible working hours policy available.

Office Attendance

This role is contractually based at Temple Quay House, Bristol which is currently out of use due to refurbishment. In the interim, we have the use of alternative office space in very close proximity to Bristol Temple Meads railway station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in-person attendance, which can vary depending on business units’ requirements. Details can be discussed with candidates invited to interview.

Person specification

We will assess your application against the Essential Criteria and Success Profile elements listed:

Essential Criteria

• Experience of working in multidisciplinary teams to embed user-centred design practices and deliver continuous design work.
• Experience of designing interactions professionally for the web and mobile in a range of design environments.
• Knowledge of accessibility guidelines and experience of ensuring that digital services are accessible to all users, including users with low digital skills.
• Demonstrable experience of prototyping in HTML & CSS.
• Experience with a wide range of design software (e.g. Mural, GitHub, code editors).
• Experience of applying Agile principles in practice.
• Encourage joined up teamwork within own team and across other groups.
• Establish professional relationships with a range of stakeholders. Collaborate with these to share information, resources and support.

Desirable

• Experience of using the GOV.UK prototyping kit.
• Experience designing GOV.UK services and the Government Service Standard.

Experience

• See Essential Criteria

Application guidance

For guidance on how to structure your application please visit: About the application process, Civil Service Careers.

Behaviours

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

• Experience of prototyping, experience with a wide range of design software, assessed in sift and interview. Preferred experience of working on GOV.UK projects, with the GDS prototyping kit.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Information Technology

Industries

• Technology, Information and Internet