User-Centred Design Apprentice (Service Designer Level 6 Apprenticeship)

User-Centred Design Apprentice (Service Designer Level 6 Apprenticeship)

Fixed Term, Full Time

£28,003 - £32,944 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Closing Date: 5th July 

 Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for up to 24 months

Help improve public services in Essex.

Are you curious about how public services work? Do you want to build a career making them better for the people who use them? If so, we’d love you to join our team as a User-Centred Design Apprentice.

About the team

Essex Digital Service is helping lead Local Government Reorganisation across Essex, reshaping how services are delivered - not just within Essex County Council, but across the wider public sector. We’re building the digital foundations and shared capabilities that make it easier, safer, and more joined up for residents and colleagues to get things done.

The Architecture and Design team plays an important role in this work. We help the council focus on the problems that matter most and make evidence-based decisions about how to solve them.

About the role

As a User-Centred Design Apprentice, you’ll work as part of a team designing inclusive services based on real user needs.

You’ll help understand and improve services from end to end, looking at both the user experience and how services are delivered behind the scenes.

You will work collaboratively with others to:

• carry out user research to understand people’s needs
• map user journeys to show how people experience services
• identify pain points and opportunities for improvement
• design, prototype and test new ideas
• share what you learn and help build understanding of user-centred design across the council

At Essex County Council, we support people to grow and succeed. As part of this role, you’ll complete a Service Designer Level 6 Apprenticeship.

This is a great opportunity to build practical skills, gain a recognised qualification, and start a career designing services that make a real difference to people’s lives.

During the apprenticeship, you will develop the skills, knowledge and practical experience to:

• design end-to-end services
• use user research and insight to inform decisions
• map user journeys and identify opportunities for improvement
• prototype and test solutions with users
• use data to evaluate and improve services

To read more about our business area, please visit: Corporate Services

Accountabilities

• Support the promotion of user-centred design across the council by working in the open, sharing learning with colleagues, and helping to raise awareness and understanding of the diversity of users of government services. 
• Work as part of multidisciplinary teams to support the design end-to-end digital services that meet user needs and business objectives within identified constraints and standards. 
• Use established service patterns and standards to help create consistent user experiences across services as well as efficient service delivery built on common components. 
• Contribute to iterative design cycles by helping prototype ideas at a range of fidelities, assisting with gathering feedback and making updates to designs based on evidence. 
• Support the planning, facilitation, analysis and documentation of user research activities. 
• Use qualitative and quantitative data to assist in mapping user journeys and summarising findings into clear, accessible insights that inform design decisions. 
• Use appropriate tools, visualisations and communication methods to help explain user needs, challenges and design ideas to colleagues and stakeholders and build shared understanding. 
• Support the design of services that consider both internal processes and external user experiences. Help identify opportunities where design improvements can contribute to more effective and efficient service delivery. 
• Support ethical research practice by following defined consent, privacy and equality processes.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

We’re looking for someone who is curious and wants to understand how things work, cares about improving things for people, enjoys solving problems and coming up with ideas, is comfortable working with others and sharing ideas and is open to learning new skills and ways of working

• Meets the entry requirements for the Level 6 Service Designer apprenticeship, including GCSE grade A-C/4-9 in English and Maths, and is committed to completing the full apprenticeship programme. Please ensure your GCSE are included on your CV.
• An interest in user‑centred design and with a desire to develop knowledge and skills in this area. 
• Experience of noticing problems and opportunities where services, processes or information could work better for users.
• Experience of listening to others or seeking their views, with an interest in understanding different needs, experiences and perspectives. 
• Experience of exploring different ways of solving problems and improving ideas through trial, feedback and iteration. 
• Experience of working with others towards a shared outcome, showing willingness to collaborate, take feedback and take responsibility for contributing to joint goals. 
• Experience of building positive working relationships and working with a range of stakeholders. 
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain findings and ideas in a clear and structured way. 
• Digitally confident, with experience using standard Microsoft Office applications and other digital tools to organise information, develop ideas and collaborate with others. 
• Awareness of the Government Service Standards, Government Accessibility Regulations and Information Governance principles. 

Interview Process

Our interview process is designed to be engaging, fast-paced, and give you the chance to really stand out.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a one-way video interview. This is your opportunity to showcase your experience, personality, and values. Following a thorough review of the one-way interview, successful applicants will be invited to attend an in-person assessment centre in Chelmsford on 23rd July, where you’ll bring your skills to life and meet the team. From there, the top performers will be invited to a final MS Teams interview to explore your potential in more detail, with decisions made shortly afterwards.

Every stage is carefully reviewed, and only the strongest candidates will progress to the next stage – so bring your best and make each stage count!

Key Information

As apprentices have employed status you must have the right to permanently live, work and study in the UK. Apprenticeships are not covered by student visas. If you are shortlisted for an interview, our training provider will also need to assess your previous learning records and check your completed qualification to ensure eligibility for the apprenticeship. Unfortunately, you cannot have previously completed a qualification that is at the same level or above in field that is related to this discipline.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service.  The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate.  This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.  For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page.

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