Senior Content Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Content Designer

Company: myCareer - NSW Government

Location: SYDNEY, NSW, AU

Job Type: Temporary Full-time (until June 30, 2026, with potential for extension)

Category: Content Design

Date Posted: June 13, 2025

Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead content strategy and execution across multiple digital products within the NSW Government, ensuring a cohesive and user-centric content experience.
• Champion best practices in content design, including writing, editing, and content delivery, to create clear, accessible, and engaging government services.
• Collaborate closely with UX/UI Designers and product teams to integrate content seamlessly into the end-to-end user journey and product design process.
• Drive continuous improvement of content based on user feedback, analytics, and evolving accessibility standards (WCAG).

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Support the end-to-end design process (discovery, framing, iterative development, delivery) with expert content input to ensure high-quality public services for the people of NSW.
• Provide specialist advice and conduct thorough content reviews for various content types (long-form, microcopy), ensuring accuracy, plain language, and alignment with customer needs and content strategy.
• Create and deliver consistent, inclusive, and accessible content adhering to industry standards (WCAG) and contributing to the design system and content library.
• Maintain and manage content databases for generic content elements like error messages and system alerts.
• Provide content support to UX/UI designers, specifically assisting with form design elements such as microcopy and alerts.
• Test and measure the effectiveness and relevance of existing product content and drive changes for continuous improvement based on performance metrics.
• Work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and collaborate with diverse stakeholders to align on business goals, project timelines, and content deliverables.
• Stay informed about relevant industry trends, methodologies, and tools in content design to implement best practices and deliver innovative content solutions.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to other team members to foster skill development and build content design capability within the team.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a degree in Communications, Journalism, English, HCI, Design, or a related field is typically preferred for a Senior Content Designer role. Equivalent professional experience demonstrating strong content design and strategy capabilities is often accepted.

Experience: Extensive and demonstrated experience as a Content Designer or Copywriter, specifically within a digital product development environment. Experience working in government or large enterprise settings is highly beneficial. A strong portfolio showcasing a range of content design projects and demonstrating process and impact is essential.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in content design and copywriting for digital products and services.
• Deep understanding of user-centered design principles and methodologies.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a focus on plain language and clarity.
• Strong knowledge of web accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive content practices.
• Experience collaborating effectively within cross-functional teams (UX, UI, Product, Engineering, Stakeholders).
• Ability to translate complex information into clear, concise, and user-friendly content.
• Experience conducting content audits, analysis, and research.
• Proficiency in using content management systems (CMS) and design collaboration tools.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience contributing to or maintaining design systems and content style guides.
• Familiarity with user research methods and using insights to inform content decisions.
• Experience with A/B testing and using analytics to measure content performance.
• Ability to provide constructive feedback and mentor junior team members.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Present case studies that clearly outline your content design process from research and strategy through to implementation and measurement of impact.
• Showcase examples of your work on complex digital products or services, highlighting how your content improved user experience and achieved business goals.
• Include examples of microcopy, error messages, form content, and longer-form explanatory content.
• Demonstrate your ability to write in plain language and adhere to accessibility guidelines (WCAG).

Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to content discovery and requirements gathering in the research phase.
• Explain your methods for content ideation, iteration, and collaboration with design and product teams.
• Describe how you validate content with users and use feedback to refine your work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: AUD $125,693 to $138,510 per annum, plus superannuation. This range is explicitly stated in the job description and reflects the DCS Clerk Grade 9/10 level within the NSW Government salary structure.

Benefits:

• Accrued flexible leave, offering greater control over work-life balance.
• Hybrid working options, providing flexibility to work from home and the office.
• Potential to work from various locations within NSW, offering geographical flexibility.
• Generous leave entitlements, including up to 14 weeks of parental leave.
• Access to health and well-being programs, including Fitness Passport.
• Competitive pay and conditions aligned with NSW Government standards.

Working Hours: Full-time hours are expected, typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through hybrid work arrangements and accrued flexible leave to support creative workflows and personal needs.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Government Administration (NSW Government - Department of Customer Service)

Company Size: 10,001+ employees (based on LinkedIn data)

Founded: The NSW Government has a long history; the Department of Customer Service is a key agency driving modern service delivery.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Department of Customer Service, working on GTP products. While the specific team size isn't mentioned, it's likely part of a larger digital product or design team within the department.
• The role requires collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, including UX/UI Designers, suggesting a matrix or agile team structure.
• Reporting structure is likely within a digital or customer experience division, possibly reporting to a Design Lead or Manager.

Methodology:

• The description mentions supporting the "end-to-end design process through discovery, framing, iterative development and delivery," indicating an agile or lean design methodology focused on continuous delivery and user feedback.
• Emphasis on a "customer-centric approach" and "driving change for continuous improvement" aligns with modern product development practices.
• Collaboration with UX/UI designers suggests involvement in user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing cycles.

Company Website: https://www.nsw.gov.au/customer-service/careers

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Senior-level role (DCS Clerk Grade 9/10), indicating significant experience and the expectation of leading content initiatives, providing expert advice, and potentially mentoring others. The scope of responsibility includes managing content across multiple products and driving continuous improvement.

Reporting Structure: The role likely reports to a Design Manager, Head of Content, or a similar leadership position within the digital or customer experience team. Collaboration with UX/UI leads and product managers will be frequent.

Design Impact: Content design in this role has a direct impact on the usability, clarity, and accessibility of critical government digital services, directly affecting the experience of millions of citizens in NSW. The role influences product strategy through content recommendations and contributes to the overall digital transformation goals of the government.

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential for extension beyond the initial temporary term, offering stability.
• Opportunity to deepen expertise in government digital service design and public sector content strategy.
• Development of leadership skills through coaching and mentoring responsibilities.
• Exposure to a wide range of government products and services, expanding domain knowledge.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: The role is based in Sydney CBD with hybrid working options available, suggesting a modern office environment designed to support both individual focus and team collaboration.

Office Location(s): Sydney CBD, NSW (specific address likely provided upon interview stage).

Design Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model implies access to collaborative spaces for team meetings, workshops, and co-design sessions when working from the office.
• Remote work flexibility allows for focused individual work and potentially accessing necessary tools and resources from home.
• Working within a large government department means being part of a structured environment with established processes and digital infrastructure.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexibility offered through hybrid work arrangements and the ability to accrue flexible leave. This allows for managing workloads and personal commitments while ensuring core responsibilities are met.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial application screening based on resume and cover letter, focusing on relevant content design experience and alignment with the role description.
• Potential initial interview (phone or video) to discuss experience, skills, and suitability for the role and the NSW Government context.
• Subsequent interview stages likely involve a panel interview focusing on technical content design skills, collaborative abilities, problem-solving, and behavioral competencies.
• A practical assessment or content design challenge may be required to evaluate skills in action.
• Portfolio review will be a critical part of the process, where candidates will be asked to present case studies and discuss their process and impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate case studies that demonstrate your strategic thinking, content process, and the impact of your work on user outcomes.
• Clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your role, your content decisions, and the results achieved in each case study.
• Highlight your experience with plain language, accessibility (WCAG), and creating content for diverse audiences.
• Be prepared to discuss your collaboration style and how you work with designers, product managers, and subject matter experts.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a content design challenge is part of the process, carefully read and understand the brief.
• Allocate sufficient time to complete the challenge, focusing on demonstrating your process as well as the final output.
• Be prepared to explain your rationale and decisions behind your content choices during the presentation.

ATS Keywords: Content Design, Copywriting, UX Writing, Microcopy, Plain Language, Accessibility, WCAG, Content Strategy, User-Centered Design, Digital Products, Government Services, Collaboration, Stakeholders, Editing, Research, Content Audit, Content Management Systems, Design Systems, Style Guides, User Research, Analytics, Continuous Improvement, Mentoring, Coaching, Agile, Scrum, Product Development, Digital Transformation, NSW Government, Public Sector, Sydney.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• While specific tools aren't listed, proficiency in standard design and prototyping tools used for collaboration and content integration (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) is likely expected to work effectively with UX/UI designers.
• Experience with content authoring tools and potentially headless CMS platforms may be required depending on the specific product stack.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Tools for project management and collaboration (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Trello) are likely used for managing content tasks and workflows within agile teams.
• Handoff tools or processes for delivering final content specifications to developers are essential.

Research & Testing:

• Familiarity with tools used for user research, testing, and gathering feedback (e.g., user testing platforms, survey tools) would be beneficial to support content validation.
• Ability to interpret data from analytics platforms to measure content performance may be required.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• A strong commitment to a customer-centric approach, ensuring content meets the needs of diverse users in NSW.
• Emphasis on creating accessible and inclusive content that is easy to understand and use for everyone.
• A focus on clarity, accuracy, and consistency in all content deliverables.
• A culture of continuous improvement, using data and feedback to refine content and processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with UX/UI designers, product managers, engineers, and subject matter experts.
• Open to feedback and critique, contributing to a culture of shared learning and improvement.
• Proactive in communicating content decisions and rationale to stakeholders.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Managing content across multiple products, ensuring consistency and alignment with a broader content strategy in a large, complex organization.
• Translating complex government information and processes into simple, plain language that is accessible to all citizens.
• Navigating potential bureaucratic processes or approvals common in government environments.
• Staying updated with evolving accessibility standards and implementing them consistently across all content.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in government digital service content.
• Development of leadership and mentoring skills.
• Exposure to various policy areas and government functions.
• Potential for professional development through training and conferences related to content design, accessibility, and government digital services.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Be prepared to walk through your content design process for a recent project, highlighting your approach to research, strategy, writing, and testing.
• Discuss how you collaborate with UX/UI designers and other team members throughout the design lifecycle.
• Explain how you ensure your content is accessible and adheres to plain language principles.

Company Culture Questions:

• Research the NSW Government's digital strategy and recent initiatives in improving customer service.
• Be ready to discuss your experience working in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment.
• Reflect on your experience mentoring or coaching others and how you approach building capability within a team.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate the breadth of your content design skills and your ability to work on complex digital products.
• Focus on the impact of your content – how did it improve user understanding, task completion, or overall experience?
• Clearly articulate your content decisions and the rationale behind them.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your senior-level content design experience, particularly any experience in government or large organizations and your expertise in plain language and accessibility.
• Prepare a concise cover letter (maximum 1 page) specifically addressing how your skills and experience align with the requirements of this senior content designer role.
• Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and easily accessible, showcasing relevant case studies that demonstrate your process and the impact of your content design work.
• Review the Role Description and the Capability Application Tool to understand the focus capabilities and typical interview questions for this grade level within the NSW Government.