Content Designer

Lead Content Designer (Jurisdiction) – HM Courts and Tribunals Service

UK Government Job Opportunity – Grade 6 | 3 Vacancies | Up to £85,257 Salary

Employer: HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS)
Directorate: Digital and Technology Services (DTS)
Job Title: Lead Content Designer (Jurisdiction)
Reference: 21090
Civil Service Reference: 476928
Grade: Grade 6 / MOJ Grade 6
Job Type: Permanent
Role: Digital / User-Centred Design
Working Pattern: Full-time, Part-time and Flexible Working
Vacancies: 3
Location: London / National
Closing Date: Friday 4 September 2026 at 11:55 pm

Salary: £71,381 – £85,257 Per Year

The salary depends on the successful applicant’s base location.

• National salary: £71,381 – £80,419 per year
• London salary: £75,674 – £85,257 per year
• Civil Service pension: Employer contribution of 28.97%
• The role is permanent.
• Full-time, part-time and flexible working options are available.

Important: New recruits joining the Ministry of Justice are normally appointed at the minimum of the relevant pay band. Existing Civil Servants applying for promotion will normally receive either the new pay-band minimum or a 10% increase on their current base salary, whichever is higher, subject to the maximum of the new band.

About HM Courts and Tribunals Service

HM Courts and Tribunals Service is an agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for supporting the judiciary across England and Wales.

The organisation operates courts and tribunals and processes outcomes while working to deliver an effective justice system.

Its Digital and Technology Services directorate provides specialist technology and digital support to HMCTS.

This is an opportunity for experienced content and user-centred design professionals to take a senior leadership role in improving digital services used by citizens, legal professionals and the judiciary.

About the Lead Content Designer Role

HMCTS is recruiting 3 Lead Content Designers to lead the content design profession across multiple complex services within jurisdictional areas.

The successful candidates will work across areas including:

• Criminal courts
• Civil courts
• Family courts
• Tribunals
• Scheduling and listing services
• Other cross-cutting services

You will provide strategic leadership for content design, establish high-quality design standards and support other designers to deliver accessible, inclusive and user-centred services.

You will also help develop the design maturity of HMCTS through leadership, coaching, mentoring, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

As a Lead Content Designer, you will be expected to:

• Set an ambitious vision for user-centred design at HMCTS.
• Work with other design leads to improve the role of design in transforming government services.
• Define, develop and embed design standards.
• Ensure design work is inclusive, accessible and easy to use.
• Work with service owners, profession leads and the Head of User-Centred Design to develop and communicate strategy.
• Support multidisciplinary teams in delivering effective digital services.
• Collaborate with user researchers, product professionals and software developers.
• Champion digital transformation across HMCTS.
• Support recruitment of talented and diverse content designers.
• Coach and mentor content designers.
• Support professional development and career progression.
• Help establish and strengthen Communities of Practice.
• Encourage designers to share knowledge and best practice.
• Work collaboratively across government.
• Represent HMCTS within the cross-government content design community.
• Share lessons, research and best practices with the wider profession.
• Advocate for citizens, professionals and judicial users.
• Use evidence-based approaches to influence strategic decision-making.
• Continuously improve content design processes and practices.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

Leadership and Talent Development

Experience growing talent and developing design culture by creating a collaborative and inclusive environment.

You should have experience of:

• Coaching designers
• Mentoring designers
• Supporting professional development
• Coordinating Communities of Practice
• Creating collaborative working environments

Inclusive and Accessible Design

Strong knowledge of what good public services look like and how to design services that are:

• Inclusive
• Accessible
• Easy to understand
• User-centred

You should also be able to establish design standards and coach others in applying them.

User-Centred Design

A strong grounding in user-centred design, with experience working across multiple or highly complex services.

You should be able to:

• Select appropriate design tools and methods.
• Support agile multidisciplinary teams.
• Promote user-centred design.
• Explain the value of user-centred design to a broad audience.
• Provide strategic direction across complex projects.

Content Design and Prototyping

The ability to create high-quality and compelling design concepts, including experience with rapid prototyping.

Strategic Influence

You should be able to advocate for end-to-end content design at a strategic level while working across:

• Teams
• Departments
• Organisations
• Government communities

Senior Stakeholder Engagement

You must be able to understand the needs of senior leaders and stakeholders.

The role requires the ability to use design thinking to address complex organisational challenges and influence strategy.

Desirable Experience

The following would be advantageous:

• Experience designing at scale.
• Experience working in technical environments.

Application and Selection Process

The recruitment process will use the Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession Capability Framework alongside the Success Profiles Framework.

Candidates will be assessed on their experience, behaviours and technical capability.

Behaviours Assessed

Applicants will be assessed at Grade 6 level against:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

Technical Assessment

Technical capability will be assessed during the interview.

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge and experience against the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework.

Presentation Requirement

Candidates will be required to prepare a short presentation as part of the recruitment process.

Further details about the presentation will be provided 5 working days before the interview.

Interviews will be conducted by video conference via Microsoft Teams.

Reserve List

HMCTS operates a Reserve List for candidates who narrowly miss out at interview.

Candidates who are unsuccessful by only a few points may potentially be offered another role at the same grade for up to 12 months.

Applicants can view their status through the application screen.

Working Arrangement

This is a nationally based role covering locations across the UK.

The advertised locations include:

• East Midlands
• East of England
• London
• North East England
• North West England
• Scotland
• South East England
• South West England
• Wales
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire and the Humber

Successful applicants are expected to be office-based 3 days per week at an HMCTS office, subject to business availability.

The role therefore offers flexibility but should not be treated as a fully remote position.

Benefits

Successful candidates will receive a range of Civil Service benefits, including:

• Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme
• Employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual leave
• Public holidays
• Season Ticket Advance
• Learning and development opportunities
• Flexible working options
• Support for work-life balance
• Inclusive working environment
• Professional development opportunities

The advert states that HMCTS contributes approximately £20,679 towards the pension for a salary of £71,381.

Security Requirements

Successful applicants must undergo a basic or equivalent criminal record check.

Those working with government assets must also complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks.

Nationality and Right-to-Work Requirements

The position is broadly open to eligible:

• UK nationals
• Republic of Ireland nationals
• Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK
• Eligible EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein nationals with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• Certain individuals with limited or indefinite leave to remain who met the relevant EUSS eligibility requirements
• Turkish nationals and certain family members who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Applicants should carefully check the official Civil Service nationality requirements before applying.

Important Note for International Applicants

This vacancy does not state that visa sponsorship is available.

Applicants who require a new UK work visa or sponsorship should not assume that this position provides sponsorship. Check the official vacancy and the employer’s current immigration policy before applying.

Applicants must have the appropriate right to work and satisfy the applicable Civil Service nationality requirements.

Artificial Intelligence and Applications

HMCTS states that artificial intelligence tools may be used to support applications, but all examples and statements submitted must be:

• Truthful
• Factually accurate
• Based on the applicant’s own experience

Applications may be withdrawn where plagiarism is identified, including presenting other people’s ideas or AI-generated material as the applicant’s own experience.

Why This Role Could Be Attractive

This is a senior UK government digital role for experienced content design professionals looking to take on strategic leadership responsibilities.

The successful candidates will have the opportunity to influence how digital services are designed across courts and tribunals while helping develop the content design profession within HMCTS and across government.

With 3 positions available, a salary of up to £85,257 in London, permanent employment and Civil Service pension benefits, this is a significant opportunity for qualified senior content designers.

Application Deadline

Closing date: Friday 4 September 2026
Closing time: 11:55 pm

Do not wait until the final day to apply. Give yourself enough time to prepare your application, evidence your experience and review the required behaviours.

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted through the official HM Courts and Tribunals Service recruitment portal.

Official application page:
https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/21090?entityId=21090

Candidate Information

For additional information about working for the Ministry of Justice, recruitment, benefits and allowances, consult the official candidate information page:

https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Applicant Contact

Recruitment Team: SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team

Email: moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Telephone: 0345 241 5359

Key Job Facts at a Glance

Who Should Consider Applying?

This vacancy may be particularly suitable for experienced:

• Lead Content Designers
• Senior Content Designers
• User-Centred Design professionals
• Digital Content Design specialists
• UX professionals with strong content design experience
• Design leaders
• Public-sector digital professionals
• Professionals experienced in complex government or technical services

Candidates should be able to demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, user-centred design expertise and the ability to develop other designers.

Final Reminder

This is a Grade 6 permanent HMCTS position with 3 vacancies and a salary of up to £85,257.

The role requires significant experience in content design, user-centred design, leadership, mentoring and strategic stakeholder engagement.

Application deadline: 11:55 pm on Friday 4 September 2026.

Check the official advert carefully before submitting your application, particularly the nationality, security, working-location and eligibility requirements.