User Researcher - Public Sector; GDS​/UCD

User Researcher - Public Sector (GDS/UCD) Introduction

At IBM CIC, we provide technical and industry expertise to a wide range of public and private sector clients in the UK. A career in IBM CIC means you will have the opportunity to work with leading professionals across multiple industries to improve the hybrid cloud and AI journey for the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. You will deliver effective solutions, driving meaningful business change for our clients using some of the latest technology platforms.

Curiosity and a constant quest for knowledge serve as the foundation to success here. You’ll be encouraged and supported to constantly reinvent yourself, focusing on skills in demand in an ever‑changing market. You’ll work with diverse teams, creating creative solutions that impact a wide network of clients.

• Many training opportunities from classroom to e‑learning, mentoring and coaching programs and the chance to gain industry‑recognised certifications
• Regular promotion opportunities to help you drive and develop your career with us
• Feedback and checkpoints throughout the year
• Diversity & Inclusion as an essential component of our culture through policies, processes and Employee Champion teams
• A culture where your ideas for growth and innovation are always welcome
• Internal recognition programmes for peer‑to‑peer appreciation and manager‑to‑employee support
• Tools and policies to support work‑life balance: flexible working, sabbatical programmes, paid paternity leave, maternity leave and an innovative maternity returner scheme
• Traditional benefits: 25 days holiday (plus public holidays), private medical, dental & optical cover, online shopping discounts, Employee Assistance Program, life assurance, and a group personal pension plan with an additional 5% of base salary paid monthly

IBM is looking for an experienced User Researcher with a solid background in government sectors and User Research methodologies to support government‑secure, public sector delivery. The selected candidate will play a crucial role in driving user‑centric digital transformation projects, ensuring alignment with Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and prioritising end‑user needs.

• Conduct comprehensive user research across diverse demographics to gather insights and understand user behaviours, motivations and pain points.
• Design and execute research plans, including surveys, interviews, usability tests and focus groups, to collect qualitative and quantitative data.
• Analyse research findings to derive actionable insights and recommendations that drive the design process.
• Create personas, user journeys and user flow diagrams to illustrate user needs and behaviours.
• Collaborate with Service Designers, stakeholders and cross‑functional teams to ensure research findings are integrated into the design process.
• Stay current with the latest research methodologies and tools, and advocate for their application within the organisation.
• Communicate research findings and recommendations clearly and persuasively to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Bachelor's Degree

• Lead user research efforts, focusing on understanding public sector users' needs, behaviours and pain points; create user personas, journey maps and other research artefacts.
• Ensure all research activities adhere to GDS guidelines, including the Service Manual and Digital Principles.
• Employ a variety of research methods to gather insights, including surveys, interviews, usability testing and focus groups.
• Work closely with cross‑functional teams, including developers, product managers and stakeholders from the public sector client, to integrate research findings into the design process.
• Share research knowledge and best practices with internal teams and external stakeholders, contributing to broader digital transformation efforts for public sector clients.
• Play a key role in the delivery of digital projects, from initial research through to launch and beyond, ensuring that the final product meets user needs and adheres to…