Content Designer
Posted Today by Searchability NS&D
£70 Per hour
Outside
Hybrid
Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Content Designer role focuses on creating trauma-informed content for government digital services, ensuring accessibility and usability for users in sensitive situations. The position requires collaboration with user researchers, designers, and developers to produce clear and effective content that meets GOV.UK standards. The contract is initially set until the end of the year, with potential extension, and is based in Newcastle. Candidates must have experience in trauma-informed content design and a strong understanding of GDS principles.
Key Responsibilities:
- Create clear, accessible, and user-focused content for government digital services.
- Collaborate with user researchers, designers, and developers to understand user needs.
- Design content for services supporting users in vulnerable or distressing situations.
- Contribute to usability testing, content audits, and continuous improvement of digital services.
- Ensure content is accurate, inclusive, accessible, and easy to navigate.
Key Skills:
- Proven experience as a Content Designer within a GDS / government environment.
- Strong knowledge of the GOV.UK style guide and content design principles.
- Experience designing content for trauma-related, sensitive, or vulnerable user journeys.
- Experience working with user research and usability testing.
- Ability to translate complex information into clear, concise content.
- Experience conducting content audits and gap analysis.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
- Experience working with CMS or government publishing tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills (English and Welsh desirable).
- Understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2 AA).
- Ability to work collaboratively in Agile teams.
Salary (Rate): £70.00/hr
City: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: outside IR35
Seniority Level: Mid-Level
Industry: IT
CONTENT DESIGNER (Trauma-Informed Content Design) Content Designer | GDS | Trauma-Informed Content Design Initial contract until the end of the year (maybe March '27) Circa £500 per day outside IR35 Hybrid – 2 days a fortnight in Newcastle BPSS Clearance Required
ABOUT THE CLIENT Our client delivers critical digital services within the UK public sector, focused on improving accessibility, usability, and support outcomes for millions of users. They are seeking an experienced Content Designer to join a collaborative, user-centred team working to GDS standards. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to meaningful digital transformation projects, including services supporting users interacting with sensitive and trauma-related subject matter.
THE CONTENT DESIGNER ROLE As a Content Designer, you will play a key role in creating clear, accessible, and user-focused content for government digital services. You will work closely with user researchers, designers, and developers to understand user needs and translate complex information into simple, effective content that aligns with GOV.UK standards. A key part of this role will involve designing content for services supporting users in potentially vulnerable or distressing situations. Experience creating trauma-informed content, handling sensitive subject matter, and designing empathetic user journeys will therefore be essential. You will also contribute to usability testing, content audits, and continuous improvement of digital services, ensuring content is accurate, inclusive, accessible, and easy to navigate.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS Proven experience as a Content Designer within a GDS / government environment Strong knowledge of the GOV.UK style guide and content design principles Experience designing content for trauma-related, sensitive, or vulnerable user journeys Experience working with user research and usability testing Ability to translate complex information into clear, concise content Experience conducting content audits and gap analysis Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills Experience working with CMS or government publishing tools Excellent written and verbal communication skills (English and Welsh desirable) Understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2 AA) Ability to work collaboratively in Agile teams
TO BE CONSIDERED Please either apply via this advert or email your CV directly to ryan.baker@searchability.com. For further information, please call 07719 051875. By applying for this role, you give express consent for us to process and submit (subject to required skills) your application to our client in conjunction with this vacancy only.