Lead User Researcher

Job summary

Vaccinations Digital Services (VDS) is a critical national programme delivering digital services that support millions of vaccinations each year, improving access, reducing inequalities and delivery of effective services.

User research is central to this. It ensures that services are usable, safe, inclusive and grounded in real user needs across citizens, providers and commissioners.

The Lead User Researcher role provides the senior leadership needed to plan, coordinate and assure user research across VDS. It ensures research is conducted to a consistently high standard and drives decision making at both service and programme level, aligned to NHS Service Standards and ethical and governance requirements.

The role leads a large and predominantly supplier-based research function and is responsible for building coherence, quality, and strategic direction across multiple services and teams.

The work we do has a direct impact on patient's lives, helps them access the essential services they need and supports them to get appropriate care as quickly as possible.

Our User Researchers have an inclusive user-centred approach and enjoy adapting and learning at pace. You will be welcomed into a supportive user research community with opportunity to collaborate and problem-solve with colleagues within the NHS and our partners.

You will see real outcomes, the work you do will have an impact on a national scale, helping our NHS achieve amazing things for patients and health and care staff.

Main duties of the job

As a Lead User Researcher, you will:

• Lead, mentor and support user researchers across the portfolio and directorate, fostering collaboration and professional development.
• Coordinate research activity across multiple products, ensuring effective use of resources and alignment with changing priorities.
• Provide senior oversight and expert advice on research methods, standards, quality and best practice.
• Ensure research is inclusive and supports the removal of barriers to accessing health and care services.
• Champion user-centred design across the NHS and contribute to the NHS England User Centred Design community.

About you - you will bring the following:

• Experience leading multiple teams of user researchers, including permanent and contract staff.
• A strong track record of influencing user research within agile, multidisciplinary teams to support the design of inclusive digital services.
• Expert knowledge of user research methods, tools and techniques.
• Experience delivering successful user research programmes in complex environments.
• Working knowledge of NHS and Government Digital Service (GDS) standards.
• Experience developing high-performing teams and driving continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex insights into clear, engaging messages for non-technical audiences.

We support flexible working arrangements and welcome discussions about options that meet the needs of the NHS, our patients and our people.

About us

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.

Details

• Date posted: 24 July 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 8c
• Salary: £79,504 to £91,609 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
• Reference number: 990-TDD-P&P-EC3717-E
• Job locations: Any NHSE Office, National, E14 4PU, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Accountabilities

• Accountable for the quality, consistency and impact of user research across VDS
• Accountable for ensuring user research supports evidence-based decision making across services and programmes
• Accountable for the effective management and coordination of all user research resources in VDS, including supplier researchers
• Accountable for ensuring all research meets required ethical, governance and service standard expectations
• Accountable for embedding user-centred design practices and ensuring user insight is reflected in service strategy and delivery
• Accountable for maintaining alignment between VDS and wider DPSP user research approaches and priorities
• As a senior member of the VDS leadership group, accountable for representing the user-centred design perspective in key decisions and trade-offs

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

You can find further details about the job, in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.