Interaction Designer

Working for City Hall makes a difference to the lives of Londoners. Our staff are at the centre of long-term planning and development for our great city.

Corporate Resources and Business Improvement

The Corporate Resources and Business Improvement directorate is led by Dianne Tranmer. It's responsible for: People Function, Facilities Management, Digital Experience Unit and Technology Group, Information Governance, Executive Support Team and leadership of all our shared services across the GLA Group.

About the team

This role sits within the User Centred Design team, with a current focus on the Data for London programme.

The UCD team brings together specialisms including digital engagement, service design, user research, business analysis, digital performance analysis, content design and interaction design. These specialisms work in harmony with a shared mission to make all products and services as inclusive, accessible and user centric as possible.

The Mayor of London’s Data for London Board has been established to improve the flow and usage of data to serve citizens, solve city challenges, and promote productivity - putting data into the hands of those who can make a positive difference for London. The Board brings together data leaders from across public, private and civil society and includes expertise in the fields of data science, data ethics, smart cities, cyber security, public engagement and data journalism.

Inside the GLA, the Data for London team are working to ‘fix the plumbing’ for the data ecosystem in London. This includes delivering a rebuild of the London Datastore https://data.london.gov.uk/, which serves 2m users and contains 18,000 data files. As we work towards that, the team have released the first component of new data infrastructure for London: the Data for London Library.

The Data for London Library allows users to search city data, all in one place. We will harvest metadata from many more organisations across London than the current DataStore and put it all in one searchable Library, allowing data analysts to find new datasets or possible collaborators to solve their problem.

The next phase of the Data for London programme will focus on designing products that make data sharing and access management easier, to make it simpler for people to share and use data held across London to improve the city and benefit Londoners.

About the role

The Interaction Designer, as a senior practitioner, will lead on the design and prototyping of user interfaces that align with user needs and business requirements, creating engaging and intuitive user experiences for digital products. Your work will ensure internal and external users can complete their goals and that our digital services support the delivery of GLA policy intent.

This may involve creating prototypes for new, or improved internal and external digital products, and content across digital channels managed by the Digital Experience Unit or other business units within the GLA or GLA group.

You will be supporting the Data for London team to design products that make it simpler for people to share and use data held across London to improve the city and benefit Londoners. You will need to research and design for a wide range of stakeholders and capabilities, bringing structure to a complex system.

Principal accountabilities

• Design prototypes for new services, or improvements to existing service, using strong visual design skills to show new services to client teams and gather immediate user feedback on your designs.
• Set design direction and embed good practice within teams across the GLA – building on existing and establishing new pattern libraries of common service patterns and ensuring they are publicised to teams to help them solve common policy and delivery challenges. 
• Collaborate with GLA UCD, product, and delivery teams to ensure user stories are turned into functional and engaging designs that inform development and ensure features deliver the most value to users and the business. 
• To collaborate with product professionals to se data and evidence to refine and improve designs, making informed decisions based on testing and user feedback
• To advocate for user needs throughout the design process, ensuring solutions are accessible, inclusive, and solve complete user problems

Person specification

Technical requirements/experience/qualifications

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• expertise in designing and testing complex user interfaces, using advanced prototyping techniques to validate and refine designs
• skilled in using data, research, and testing feedback to drive informed, user-centred design decisions
• strong communicator with the ability to manage and influence senior stakeholders, encourage collaboration, and facilitate alignment across teams

• expert knowledge in accessible and inclusive design principles, ensuring products are usable for all users

• experienced in agile working practices, adapting to iterative feedback and prioritising tasks based on user and business needs be familiar with using, and contributing to, design systems and have experience designing government or similar products

Behavioural Competencies

Communicating and Influencing

… is presenting information and arguments clearly and convincingly so that others see us as credible and articulate, and engage with us.

Level 3 indicators:

• Encourages and supports teams in engaging in transparent and inclusive communication
• Influences others and gains buy-in using compelling, well thought through arguments
• Negotiates effectively to deliver GLA priorities
• Synthesises the complex viewpoints of others, recognises where compromise is necessary and brokers agreement day
• Advocates positively for the GLA both within and outside the organisation

Problem Solving

… is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions.

Level 3 indicators:

• Clarifies ambiguous problems, questioning assumptions to reach a fuller understanding
• Actively challenges the status quo to find new ways of doing things, looking for good practice
• Seeks and incorporates diverse perspectives to help produce workable strategies to address complex issues
• Initiates consultation on opportunities to improve work processes
• Supports the organisation to implement innovative suggestions

Stakeholder Focus

… is consulting with, listening to and understanding the needs of those our work impacts and using this knowledge to shape what we do and manage others’ expectations.

Level 3 indicators:

• Understands diverse stakeholder needs and tailors team deliverables accordingly
• Is a role model to others, encouraging them to think of Londoners first
• Manages stakeholder expectations, so they are high but realistic
• Removes barriers to understanding the needs of diverse stakeholders, including hard to reach groups
• Focuses own and team’s efforts on delivering a quality and committed service

Research and analysis

… is gathering intelligence (information, opinion and data) from varied sources, making sense of it, testing its validity and drawing conclusions that can lead to practical benefits.

Level 2 indicators:

• Proactively seeks new information sources to progress research agendas and address gaps in knowledge
• Grasps limitations of or assumptions behind data sources, disregarding those that lack quality
• Analyses and integrates qualitative and quantitative data to find new insights
• Translates research outcomes into concise, meaningful reports
• Identifies relevant and practical research questions for the future

Responding to pressure and change

… is being flexible and adapting positively, to sustain performance when the situation changes, workload increases, tensions rise or priorities shift.

Level 2 indicators:

• Maintains a focus on key priorities and deliverables, staying resilient in the face of pressure
• Anticipates and adapts flexibly to changing requirements
• Uses challenges as an opportunity to learn and improve
• Participates fully and encourages others to engage in change initiatives
• Manages team’s well-being, supporting them to cope with pressure and change

The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA competency framework.

This role is based at London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (Union Street SE1 0LL).

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

How to apply

If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

• Up to date CV
• Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.

Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the ‘CV and Cover Letters’ section’ of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g., “CV – applicant name - 012345)

As part of GLA’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination. 

If you have questions about the role

If you wish to talk to someone about the role, the hiring manager Martine Wauben would be happy to speak to you. Please contact them at martine.wauben@london.gov.uk

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, contact the glaopdcrecruitment@tfl.gov.uk who support the GLA with recruitment.

Assessment process

Once you have submitted an application, your details will be reviewed by a panel.

If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to an interview/assessment.

The interview/assessment date is: TBC

Equality, diversity and inclusion

London's diversity is its biggest asset, and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share. 

Please note we are a Disability Confident Employer so for candidates who wish to be considered under the scheme and meet the essential criteria, they will automatically be invited to interview. Please note, should you require any adjustments through the process, we will accommodate as much as possible. Please contact the recruitment team for further information if required.

Benefits

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

In addition to a good salary package, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Additional Information

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening. 

Secondment Opportunity

If you are a GLA employee applying for an internal fixed-term position, as an internal secondment opportunity, you must ensure you satisfy the following secondment policy criteria listed below before applying 

• On a permanent contract or a fixed term contract where the time left on the contract at the point at which you apply for secondment is longer than the secondment period;
• successfully completed your probation period and are performing to the required standard for your current role; and
• at least 18 months service with the GLA 

If you do meet the criteria listed above, you will need to complete the Approval for secondment application form and gain line manager approval, before emailing the fully completed form to the Resourcing Assistant who is managing the vacancy. This form must be received by the closing date of the vacancy. Failure to provide this form will mean your application cannot be progressed.

If you are unable to satisfy all of the criteria, unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply for this vacancy as an internal secondment.  For further information, please see Secondment Policy and Procedure.

IMPORTANT: If you are a current GLA employee on a fixed-term contract, which is due to end BEFORE the end date of this vacancy, you DO NOT NEED to complete the Approval for secondment application form as it is not a secondment.

If you are successful in securing this secondment opportunity, you will need to be released from your existing role, so please ensure that you make your line manager aware of your application.

More Support

If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact resourcingteam@london.gov.uk.

The GLA is proud to be a Level 2: Disability Confident employer. We are committed to becoming a more inclusive and accessible organisation and creating a truly inclusive and accessible workplace and culture for our disabled staff. We have named Disability Equality as a key corporate priority within our EDI Strategy. We welcome and encourage applications from disabled applicants. Should you wish to opt into the scheme, please let us know during your application.