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Junior Graphic Designer

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Junior Graphic Designer at Government Digital Service (GDS) – Manchester

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is recruiting a Junior Graphic Designer to help create accessible, user-centred digital services and visual content for GOV.UK. This permanent Civil Service position offers a salary of up to £41,120, flexible working options, professional development opportunities and a Civil Service pension.

Important: Visa sponsorship is not available for this vacancy. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has explicitly confirmed that this recruitment campaign does not qualify for visa sponsorship.

Job Overview

  • Job Title: Junior Graphic Designer
  • Employer: Government Digital Service (GDS)
  • Department: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
  • Location: Manchester
  • Salary: £37,655–£41,120 per year
  • Job Grade: Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
  • Contract: Permanent
  • Working Pattern: Full-time, part-time, job share, flexible working or compressed hours
  • Vacancies: 1
  • Visa Sponsorship: Not available
  • Closing Date: Sunday, 1 November 2026, at 11:45 pm
  • Reference Number: 486601

About the Government Digital Service

The Government Digital Service leads work to modernise digital government and improve the way people access public services across the UK.

Its responsibilities include developing GOV.UK, supporting the use of artificial intelligence for public benefit, strengthening digital and data infrastructure, and promoting high standards across government digital teams.

GDS employs more than 1,000 people across the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol. The successful candidate will work alongside digital professionals to help make government services clearer, more accessible and easier for people to use.

About the Junior Graphic Designer Role

As a Junior Graphic Designer, you will help develop visual solutions that improve the user experience of government digital services.

See also Admin Support

You will work with designers, user researchers, data analysts and front-end developers to turn ideas into practical, accessible and consistent designs.

The role is suitable for someone who can demonstrate creative ability through employment, education, volunteering or personal projects and who is interested in developing their design skills within a collaborative team.

Key Responsibilities

Your duties will include:

  • Understanding user needs and helping design services that meet them.
  • Creating visuals, illustrations and infographics to support users.
  • Developing and refining prototypes to test and communicate design ideas.
  • Collaborating with user researchers, data analysts and front-end developers to create user-centred graphics.
  • Maintaining consistency with GOV.UK branding and established design standards.
  • Contributing to design patterns and standards used across government.
  • Presenting complex data and insights visually to senior stakeholders.
  • Identifying common needs across services that could be addressed through shared products or design solutions.

Requirements and Person Specification

GDS is looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following skills and qualities:

  • Creative ability: Evidence of design aptitude through work, study, volunteering or personal projects.
  • Problem-solving: An interest in understanding problems before developing solutions.
  • User-centred thinking: An ability to consider user needs, accessibility and inclusion when making design decisions.
  • Prototyping and visual communication: Experience or an interest in developing sketches, diagrams, layouts, journey maps, prototypes or visual designs.
  • Communication: The ability to explain ideas and design decisions clearly to different audiences.
  • Teamwork: A collaborative attitude and willingness to learn from feedback and experienced designers.
  • Agile working: Awareness of agile approaches and the ability to contribute positively to a team environment.

Applicants should be able to explain how their creative thinking has helped make something clearer, more accessible, inclusive or easier to use.

You do not necessarily need to rely on previous paid employment to demonstrate your design ability. The advert accepts relevant examples from education, volunteering, personal projects and other experience.

Salary and Benefits

The advertised salary is £37,655–£41,120 per year, depending on the applicable salary arrangements.

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Additional benefits include:

  • Civil Service Pension: An employer contribution of 28.97%.
  • Annual leave: 25 days initially, increasing by one day per year to a maximum of 30 days.
  • Additional leave: An extra day off for the King’s birthday.
  • Flexible working: Options for part-time work, job sharing, flexi-time and compressed hours.
  • Hybrid working: A combination of office and home working, subject to departmental policy.
  • Professional development: A training budget, coaching and career progression opportunities.
  • Learning opportunities: 10 learning days per year and access to Civil Service learning activities.
  • Performance recognition: An in-year bonus scheme.
  • Wellbeing support: An employee assistance programme.
  • Other benefits: Cycle-to-work scheme, employee discounts, season-ticket advances, death-in-service benefits and volunteering opportunities.

Working Arrangements

The position is based in Manchester and offers a discretionary hybrid working arrangement.

The current expectation is for staff to attend their office or other designated workplace for approximately 40–60% of the relevant accounting period.

Full-time home working is not normally offered. However, the department provides flexible arrangements, including opportunities to work from home.

Is Visa Sponsorship Available?

No. Visa sponsorship is not available for this Junior Graphic Designer vacancy.

The advert explicitly states that DSIT cannot provide visa sponsorship through this recruitment campaign. Although the department holds a sponsorship licence, this particular role does not qualify.

Applicants who require a new Skilled Worker visa sponsored by this employer should take this restriction into account before applying.

The advert also sets out nationality and right-to-work requirements for Civil Service employment. Eligibility to apply depends on meeting the applicable nationality and employment requirements.

Application Process

Applications are assessed through a screening stage followed by an interview for shortlisted candidates.

Stage 1: Submit your application

Candidates are asked to provide:

  • A CV.
  • A cover letter of up to 750 words explaining how their skills and experience match the person specification.
  • A short document of no more than two pages showing something they have designed. This could be a PDF, slide deck or Figma file and may come from employment, academic work or personal projects.

Make sure your cover letter addresses the skills and experience listed in the person specification.

Stage 2: Interview

The standard interview is a 75-minute Microsoft Teams video interview, which includes:

  • A 10-minute presentation of the design work submitted with the application.
  • A 15-minute presentation of one or two portfolio examples.
  • Four Civil Service behaviour questions.
  • An opportunity to ask the interview panel questions.

Depending on application numbers, an additional stage, such as a telephone interview or technical exercise, may be introduced.

Recruitment Timeline

  • Application deadline: 1 November 2026, at 11:45 pm.
  • Sift completion: 6 November 2026.
  • Panel interviews: Week commencing 16 November 2026.
  • Reserve list: A reserve list may be held for 12 months.

Candidates who do not pass the interview but demonstrate an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Skills and Behaviours Assessed

The recruitment process will assess candidates against the following Civil Service behaviours:

  • Working Together.
  • Changing and Improving.
  • Making Effective Decisions.
  • Delivering at Pace.

The specialist design skills include:

  • Design communication.
  • Designing for everyone.
  • Designing together.
  • Evidence-based design.

If applications are particularly high, the initial sift may focus on evidence of design aptitude and creative thinking that has made something clearer, more accessible, inclusive or easier to use.

Important Information About AI-Assisted Applications

The employer permits the use of artificial intelligence as a support tool, but all examples and statements must be truthful and based on the applicant’s own experience.

The advert specifically encourages candidates to write cover letters without AI assistance so that their individual experiences and personal qualities come through. Applicants should ensure that every statement in their application is accurate and genuinely reflects their work.

Security and Eligibility Checks

Successful candidates must complete the required pre-employment checks, including a basic or equivalent criminal record check and the relevant security requirements.

The role also requires compliance with Civil Service nationality and right-to-work rules.

How to Apply

To review the full vacancy details and submit your application, use the official recruitment link below.

Source: Civil Service Jobs – Vacancy Reference 486601

Closing date: Sunday, 1 November 2026, at 11:45 pm.

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