SC Cleared UCD Lead - GDS
Posted 5 days ago by Sanderson Government & Defence
£675 Per day
Inside
Hybrid
London, UK
Summary: The role of SC Cleared UCD Lead involves taking a senior, strategic position within a major central government digital programme, focusing on user-centred design. The candidate will be responsible for setting the UCD strategy, leading multidisciplinary teams, and ensuring compliance with the Government Service Standard. This position requires strong leadership skills and the ability to influence senior stakeholders while mentoring team members. The role offers a hybrid working model with three days on-site in London.
Key Responsibilities:
- Set the UCD strategy and vision, ensuring alignment with organisational and programme objectives
- Provide clear leadership and direction to content designers, user researchers and interaction designers
- Champion user-centred design at a strategic level, embedding best practice across teams
- Oversee research-led design decisions and ensure insights directly inform delivery
- Coach and mentor team members, supporting capability development and quality standards
- Ensure all UCD outputs align with GDS standards and support successful service assessments
Key Skills:
- Active Security Clearance (SC) - must be current and transferable
- Extensive GDS experience, working to the Government Service Standard
- Proven experience operating as a UCD/Design Lead on complex digital services
- Strong background in leading multidisciplinary design and research teams
- Confidence influencing senior stakeholders, service owners and programme leadership
- Experience shaping UCD strategy across multiple products or services
Salary (Rate): £675 per day
City: London
Country: UK
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: IT
SC Cleared UCD Lead - GDS
Rate: Up to £675 per day (Inside IR35)
Location: London (3 days per week on-site)
Contract: Initial contract with strong extension potential
We're looking for an experienced SC-cleared UCD Lead to take a senior, strategic role on a major central government digital programme. This role will suit someone who can set direction for user-centred design, lead and mentor teams, and influence at programme and senior stakeholder level while ensuring delivery meets the Government Service Standard.
Key Requirements
- Active Security Clearance (SC) - must be current and transferable
- Extensive GDS experience, working to the Government Service Standard
- Proven experience operating as a UCD/Design Lead on complex digital services
- Strong background in leading multidisciplinary design and research teams
- Confidence influencing senior stakeholders, service owners and programme leadership
- Experience shaping UCD strategy across multiple products or services
Responsibilities
- Set the UCD strategy and vision, ensuring alignment with organisational and programme objectives
- Provide clear leadership and direction to content designers, user researchers and interaction designers
- Champion user-centred design at a strategic level, embedding best practice across teams
- Oversee research-led design decisions and ensure insights directly inform delivery
- Coach and mentor team members, supporting capability development and quality standards
- Ensure all UCD outputs align with GDS standards and support successful service assessments
Working Pattern
- 3 days per week on-site in London
- Remaining days remote, offering a balanced and flexible working model
If you're an SC-cleared UCD Lead with strong GDS experience and a track record of strategic leadership within government digital programmes, we'd like to hear from you.
Reasonable Adjustments:
Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.
If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.
