Are you an experienced content designer with a passion for impactful communication across digital channels ready to help shape and align the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) communications priorities and services to ensure they prioritise the needs of our users?

The SPPA is an Agency of the Scottish Government which is responsible for administering four major public sector pensions schemes – police, fire, NHS and Teachers – for over 600,000 members. As Senior Content Designer in the SPPA Communications team your role will lead on approaches to ensure our user-centred content is understandable to different audiences and is informed by the best principles of content design from prototypes through to content plans. You will be able to manage multiple stakeholder relationships to ensure work is managed through collaboration and effective partnerships. Your work will be informed by data, research and evidence and the resulting strategies and approaches will link clearly with SPPA business objectives and the needs of users.

Responsibilities

Choose the best option to make content understandable to different audiences and show proposed approaches to content design through the creation of prototypes and content plans.
Lead on ensuring that the publishing approach and metadata shapes how the content will be published and managed.
Negotiate with stakeholders and influence decisions to support collaborative working.
Create and implement content strategies and processes, balancing the business objectives and needs of users.
Work within a multidisciplinary team to shape and record design decisions and design debt across complex user journeys, creating and advocating for content that meets the needs of users and supports business objectives.
Use data, research and evidence to plan, write, design and edit content across multiple channels that meets content styles and standards. Set review dates and monitor the effectiveness of content to make continuous improvements.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Experience:

Lead Criterion: Experience of leading the design and implementation of content strategy for specific areas of work, to lead and direct strategic content design projects.
Experience of creating content prototypes and patterns, and using content management systems, to create prototypes that show value to others and publish content.
Experience of working with user stories, user insights and creating content that can be measured as effectively meeting the needs of users, to clearly explain why and how decisions have been made and when further changes are needed.
Experience of leading the design of content and using data to review, evaluate and improve it, to direct and support the work of others.

Experience is assessed at sift, along with a more in-depth assessment at interview.

Technical Skills:

This role is aligned to the Content Designer role within the User Centred Design Job Family.

You can find out more about the skills required, here.

These skills are assessed by technical assessment. Full details of the assessment and skills being assessed will be shared in advance with all candidates invited to this stage.

Behaviours:

Communicating and Influencing - Level 3
Managing a Quality Service - Level 3

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here.

Behaviours are assessed at interview. Full details will be shared in advance with all candidates invited to this stage.

How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet each of the four Experience criteria listed in the Success Profile above.

Candidates will have their applications assessed against all Experience criteria. If a large number of applications are received an initial sift will be conducted on the Lead Criterion highlighted above. Candidates who pass the initial sift will have their applications fully assessed against all remaining Experience criteria.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and DDaT Technical assessment where the behaviours, experiences and technical skills outlined in the Success Profile will be assessed.
Assessments are scheduled for w/c 8th September however this may be subject to change. Interview and assessment are expected to take place in person on site at SPPA, 7 Tweedside Park, Tweedbank, Galashiels, TD1 3TE.

About Us

The Scottish Public Pensions Agency is an Agency of the Scottish Government. Our principal role is to administer the pensions for employees in the National Health Service, Teachers’, Police and Fire-fighters’ pension schemes in Scotland for over 600,000 key workers. The Agency administers these public service pension schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers with an annual pension spend to over 200,000 pensioners to the value of more than £3 billion.

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options, with two days minimum working on site at SPPA. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

DDaT Pay Supplement
This post is part of the Scottish Government Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) profession, as a member of the profession you will join the professional development system, currently BCS Role Mode plus. This post currently attracts a £5000 annual DDAT pay supplement, applicable after a 3-month competency qualifying period. The payment will be backdated to your start date in the role. Pay supplements are reviewed regularly and there is one currently underway. Changes will be communicated when the review is concluded.

Security Checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.

Equality Statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further Information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

Apply Before: 31st August (23:59)

Senior Content Manager

Scottish Government

Senior Content Manager

Scottish Government