Job Advert
Flexible Location: Based throughout Scotland, NES is a remote friendly employer supporting office and hybrid working. We’re happy to talk about how you want to work.
Work Pattern: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week
Fixed-term or Secondment** until 31 March 2026
**For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non-NHS applicants, a fixed-term or secondment would be considered.
You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment.
Who We Are
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.
NES Technology Service (NTS) has created a strategic programme for the transformation of digital based services to allow NES to become a leading digital organisation in Scottish Health, digital by default and fully aligned with the Scottish Government’s technology strategies. It is in pursuit of this aim that NTS are working with partners to develop the National Digital Platform.
Our Technology
We are in the business of providing safe, secure and innovative technology products and services that aim to improve outcomes across education, training, workforce, health and care in the public sector in Scotland. Using modern cloud-based technology we deliver sustainable products and services for the future.
The Opportunity
To enable delivery of the NES Strategy 2023-2026, and assist NTS in our contribution to delivering against the Scottish Government Digital Health and Care Strategy and Data Strategy, NTS is seeking two highly skilled and motivated Senior User Researchers to provide specialist support to the Digital Front Door (DFD) programme (https://www.digihealthcare.scot/our-work/digital-front-door).
Do you want to engage and lead people and staff in the design of tools, technologies and services that support them?
Do you enjoy discovering user behaviours and motivations to assist teams in designing systems that reflect a profound understanding of their needs and goals?
Do you want to play a key role in developing and leading a user-centred approach to the design and delivery of digital technologies used across health and social care in Scotland?
Do you want to promote empathy with users amongst stakeholders and development teams?
Working within the Experience/Product & Delivery team will have the opportunity to provide actionable insights that represent the voice of our users to directly inform the development of the Digital Front Door application for the general public and for health and social care professionals.
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Senior User Researchers offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
Proven track record as a User Researcher
A clear understanding of user research techniques and user interface principles
Ability to confidently lead in workshops, interviews, usability studies, surveys and contextual enquiries
Experienced in collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams, communicating research in a clear, meaningful and actionable manner
Ability to collaboratively plan and conduct user research with a diverse range of stakeholders and users
Highly effective communicator knowing how to make complex technical information and language simple for diverse senior internal and external stakeholders (both verbally and in writing)
Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workload and that of others, and to meet strict deadlines
Line management and coaching/mentoring experience
Benefits Which Matter
As a valued employee of NHS Scotland, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:
Life-work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and remote working
Generous NHS pension scheme
Annual incremental progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review
Annual Leave - 27 Days increasing in line with service plus 8 days public holiday
NHS discounts and more
Diversity and Inclusion
Developing a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.
We are focused on hiring the very best talent available for NES, and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and aim to ensure everyone is treated fairly, with respect and has a positive recruitment experience - regardless of the outcome.
It’s not essential to be in a Senior User Researcher role right now. You may be returning from a career break (e.g. maternity, paternity, caring for others) or returning after working in another field. Your experiences elsewhere can bring a fresh perspective to our work.
If you are considering applying and feel it would be helpful to discuss this initially, please contact Colin Sanders, Principal Lead (Experience), colin.sanders@nhs.scot
Next Steps
**NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.
Our recruitment process is currently 100% remote and if successful you would initially work remotely, working from our offices as operationally required.
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
Online interviews (including a presentation) will take place between 5 and 9 February 2024. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.
For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.
Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CV’s will not be accepted.
If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot