Senior User Researcher - Day Rate Contract

As a Senior User Researcher Consultant at Version 1, you will shape meaningful, accessible services that deliver lasting value across our Public Sector Clients. Leading research across the full delivery lifecycle, you’ll help agile teams validate assumptions, reduce risk, and prioritise work based on real user needs. You will work autonomously within multidisciplinary teams - collaborating with product managers, designers, business analysts, and developers - to ensure evidence drives decision-making at every stage. Beyond projects, you’ll influence service strategy, foster a user-first mindset in client organisations, and strengthen Version 1’s user research practice by mentoring colleagues and sharing expertise across our community of practice. This role is for a consultant who thrives in client‑facing settings, can confidently lead discovery and delivery activities, and has a proven track record of working to the GDS Digital Service Standard . Responsibilities Lead and deliver user research for complex projects, ensuring findings directly inform product, service, and strategy decisions. Proactively contribute to client meetings, workshops, and presentations, building strong relationships and providing actionable recommendations. Develop strong client relationships by anticipating client needs, advising on research opportunities, and driving outcomes that align with both user needs and business objectives. Mentor and guide team members, upskilling junior researchers and fostering a collaborative, supportive working environment. Expected behaviours Takes full ownership of research deliverables, ensuring they are high quality and aligned with project objectives and client needs. Anticipates challenges and delivers proactive, evidence-based solutions to complex problems. Communicates confidently and effectively, acting as a trusted research voice in meetings and workshops. Fosters a collaborative, inclusive team culture, actively mentoring and supporting colleagues’ development. Brings enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to learn, helping to build a positive and supportive working environment. We’re seeking a senior user researcher who can lead high impact projects, influence decision‑making at senior levels, and deliver actionable insights that shape exceptional products and services. Extensive experience (5+ years) as a researcher, leading research including work on complex digital services in Agile environments. Strong knowledge of UK public sector service design , including GDS service standards, GOV.UK design system patterns, and assessment processes. End-to-end research capability - from designing and running generative and evaluative studies to analysing and synthesising findings into clear, actionable insights. Broad methodological expertise, with the ability to confidently select and apply a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., moderated and unmoderated usability testing, depth interviews, surveys, co‑design, d