Head of User Experience

·       An expert in senior leadership and guidance, you will influence and change UKHO structures to ensure that best practice User Experience is embedded into the culture effectively. You will lead on the User Experience strategy for the UKHO, marrying business needs with end user needs. You will make and justify decisions characterised by high levels of risk, impact and complexity.

·       An expert in strategic thinking, you will apply strategic thinking in how to provide the best service for the end user. You will lead the design and implementation of strategy, directing the evaluation of strategies and policies with regards to User Experience, to ensure business requirements are being met.

·       An expert in community collaboration, you will solve and unblock issues between teams or departments at the highest level. You will demonstrate an understanding of the psychology of the teams and employ strong mediation skills to resolve issues. You will coach the organisation on team dynamics and conflict resolution while also building and growing the User Experience community.

·       An expert in digital perspective, you know about the wider digital economy and advances in technology and how these impact on the UKHO. You will make decisions that set the standards for others to follow. You understand working using agile methodology at an organisational level. You will create an environment for success within your team and across the wider business.

·       An expert in communication skills, you will mediate between people and form excellent relationships, communicating with stakeholders at all levels. You will manage stakeholders’ expectations and facilitate discussions across high risk and complexity or under constrained timescales. You will speak on behalf of and represent the User Experience community to large audiences inside and outside of the UKHO and across wider government.

Typical tasks would include:-

1. Communicate purposes and objectives to team members and other UKHO departments and senior stakeholders

2. Effectively manage User Experience teams and/or subcontractors to deliver against corporate and project objectives

3. Develop personal effectiveness skills in yourself and your team members to ensure impact across the business

4. Encourage, steer and support other teams in meeting business objectives

5. Create a climate of trust and mutual respect, successfully collaborating with other departments and stakeholders

6. Provide input to and influence the annual business plan and 5 year corporate plan through evidence of customer needs to ensure the UKHO strategic direction is built on a customer focused ethos and culture.

DDAT Expert Level – Leadership and guidance. You know how to lead on the strategy for your practice, marrying business needs with innovative analysis. You understand the psychology of a team and have strong mediation skills. You can coach the organisation on team dynamics and conflict resolution.

DDAT Expert Level – Communication skills. You know how to manage stakeholders’ expectations and facilitate discussions across high risk and complexity or under constrained timescales. You can speak on behalf of and represent the community to large audiences inside and outside of UKHO.

DDAT Expert Level – Evidence- and context-based design. You know how to design systems for use across multiple services relevant to Defence and the wider commercial shipping industry and can identify the simplest approach out of a variety of approaches.

DDAT Expert Level – Digital perspective. You know about the wider digital economy and advances in technology, specifically within the Defence & the Commercial merchant shipping industry.

DDAT Expert Level – User focus. You are experienced in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels, specifically the Defence and commercial shipping end users. You can bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure these are met by the business. You know how to apply strategic thinking in how to provide the best service for the end user.

DDAT Expert Level – Research Skills – You can help an organisation adopt a wide range of user research methods. You can lead a community of practice to help an organisation continually assure, improve and innovate their user research.

DDAT Expert Level – Prototyping. You are experienced in using a variety of methods of prototyping. You know how to share best practice and can coach others. You can look at strategic design end to end.