Overview

As the Head of Research and Design, you can make your own powerful contribution to people across Westminster. Balancing strategic leadership with hands-on delivery across a complex digital portfolio, you''ll shape and deliver the Council''s research and design vision, working to improve outcomes for residents and businesses.Your day-to-day will be dynamic and varied, touching everything from service transformation to core IT. You will oversee the delivery of robust user research plans dedicated to understanding the needs of our residents, communities and businesses, and will focus on simplifying, streamlining and improving user journeys across Council services.You''ll lead a team of experienced professionals, managing performance and providing expert advice and guidance. User-centric design and accessibility will be at the heart of everything you do, and you''ll use your strong leadership skills to influence change across a large multi-disciplinary team.Responsibilities

Lead and oversee the research and design function within a complex digital portfolio, shaping and delivering the Council''s research and design vision.Oversee the delivery of robust user research plans to understand the needs of residents, communities and businesses, and improve user journeys across Council services.Manage a team of experienced professionals, providing performance management, guidance and expert advice.Embed user-centric design and accessibility as core principles across projects and programmes.Influence change across a large multi-disciplinary team through strong leadership and collaboration.Qualifications

Established professional with significant experience of leading multi-disciplinary research and design teams in a complex, heavily regulated environment.Proven expertise in user research, service design and human-centred design methodologies.Strong understanding of diversity, equality and inclusion in relation to service delivery; knowledge of research, experience and service design principles, practices and methods.Experience delivering large-scale digital transformation projects and strong knowledge of the end-to-end product and service life cycle.Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and external stakeholders; capable of encouraging, thorough and motivating leadership and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.Ability to stay calm under pressure and deliver against multiple competing deadlines.About Westminster and Diversity Commitments

Westminster City Council is committed to an inclusive workplace and values diversity, equality, and wellbeing. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and strive to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve. We are committed to Fairer Westminster through inclusive decision-making and collaboration with communities and partners.We support flexible working patterns and Agile working where possible.As part of our equality and diversity commitments, we may invite applicants from Global Majority backgrounds to interview where there is a choice between candidates of equal merit, in line with our positive action commitments under the Equality Act 2010.

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