Content Designer (Not Social Media)
📍 Job Overview
Job Title: Content Designer (Not Social Media) Company: Leicestershire County Council (ESPO) Location: County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA, United Kingdom Job Type: Full-time Category: Digital Services / Content Strategy Date Posted: February 09, 2026 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years implied) Remote Status: Hybrid
🚀 Role Summary
- This role focuses on the strategic design, creation, and maintenance of high-quality web and intranet content, emphasizing user journeys and digital objectives.
- It requires a strong understanding of content management systems (CMS) such as Drupal and SharePoint, alongside expertise in SEO and data analytics (Google Analytics 4).
- The position involves significant stakeholder engagement, advising service managers and non-specialist staff on best practices for online content and digital services.
- A core aspect of the role is driving continuous improvement through data-driven insights and ensuring content adherence to accessibility standards and legislative requirements.
📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Content Designer," the description explicitly states "Not Social Media," positioning this role firmly within website and intranet content strategy and management, rather than social media marketing. The salary range and implied experience level suggest a mid-level professional contribution. The "Hybrid" work arrangement is inferred from the explicit mention of flexible working discussions, including hybrid options, and the physical office location.
📈 Primary Responsibilities
- Content Creation & Management: Edit, update, and develop accurate, user-centric content for websites and intranets, ensuring alignment with service digital objectives and quality standards.
- User Journey Optimization: Utilize customer evidence, data analysis (e.g., Google Analytics 4), and user-centered design principles to scope, design, and review online user journeys, enhancing customer experience and facilitating task completion.
- Stakeholder Advisory & Guidance: Proactively advise, guide, and challenge service managers, staff, and other stakeholders on effective web and intranet content design, best practices, and digital service delivery.
- Project Support & Delivery: Provide content support for online projects and work packages, ensuring adherence to required standards, timelines, and digital objectives.
- Best Practice & Innovation: Maintain awareness of emerging trends and best practices in online content, web publishing, and CMS technologies (Drupal, SharePoint), incorporating them into delivery and promoting their adoption.
- Channel Shift Facilitation: Collaborate with departmental stakeholders, business intelligence teams, and the Customer Service Centre to understand customer needs and influence channel shift towards online services.
- Compliance & Governance: Ensure all content adheres to current legislative requirements, governance frameworks, relevant policies, and accessibility standards.
- Performance Monitoring & Improvement: Investigate online content issues, devise solutions, and implement principles for continuous improvement, leveraging data and analytics.
📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are structured to reflect the proactive and strategic nature of content design within a public sector digital services team, emphasizing user focus, data utilization, and stakeholder influence beyond simple content creation.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education:
- A relevant degree or equivalent proven experience in delivering effective digital services.
Experience:
- Proven experience in designing, writing, editing, and publishing web and intranet content, including online forms.
- Experience working with a Content Management System (CMS), ideally Drupal and SharePoint.
- Experience using web analytics tools, specifically Google Analytics 4.
- Demonstrated experience in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques.
- Experience in supporting digital projects and transformation initiatives.
- Experience in applying user-centered design principles.
- Experience in issue resolution and driving continuous improvement within digital services.
Required Skills:
- Content Design Principles: Expertise in user-centered design, content strategy, and information architecture.
- Web Content Management: Proficiency with CMS platforms, specifically Drupal and SharePoint, including content creation, editing, and publishing workflows.
- Data Analysis & SEO: Strong ability to use Google Analytics 4 for performance monitoring, data interpretation, and SEO skills for content optimization.
- Communication & Stakeholder Management: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for advising non-specialist staff, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and building professional relationships.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to investigate issues, devise solutions, and present clear recommendations for both straightforward and complex content challenges.
- Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of and adherence to web accessibility requirements (e.g., WCAG).
Preferred Skills:
- Knowledge of current legislative requirements, governance, and policies related to online content management.
- Experience in influencing future service delivery through digital channels.
- Project management skills for supporting online projects.
- Understanding of equal opportunities principles.
📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of technical CMS and analytics skills with strategic content design, user experience focus, and strong communication abilities, reflecting a mid-level role requiring both execution and advisory capabilities. The explicit mention of "proven experience" suggests that formal education can be substituted with practical work history.
📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Content Design Case Studies: Showcase examples of web and intranet content you have designed, written, or significantly improved, highlighting the process from research to publication.
- User Journey Mapping: Demonstrate your ability to map, analyze, and optimize user journeys for digital services, using evidence-based approaches.
- CMS Project Examples: Include examples of work done within Drupal or SharePoint, illustrating your proficiency in content creation, structure, and management.
- Data-Driven Impact: Present case studies that clearly demonstrate how you've used data (e.g., Google Analytics 4) and SEO to improve content performance or user engagement, quantifying results where possible.
- Accessibility Compliance: Provide examples or descriptions of how you ensure content meets accessibility standards.
Process Documentation:
- Content Strategy Frameworks: Ability to articulate or demonstrate the use of frameworks for content planning, creation, governance, and maintenance.
- Workflow Design: Showcase experience in designing or improving content workflows, including collaboration with stakeholders and CMS integration.
- Performance Measurement: Evidence of establishing metrics and reporting mechanisms for content effectiveness and user engagement.
📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on content design, user journeys, and data, a portfolio demonstrating practical application of these skills is crucial. The emphasis is on showcasing the process and outcomes, particularly how data and user research informed design decisions.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range:
- £32,070 - £34,359 per annum (pro-rata for part-time)
Benefits:
- Flexible Working: Open discussions on flexible working arrangements including part-time, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start/finish times, and hybrid working.
- Professional Development: Opportunities to stay aware of new developments and best practices in online content and web publishing.
- Employee Support: Access to Employee Service Centre for technical application issues and alternative format requests.
- Values Alignment: Opportunity to work in an environment committed to organizational values.
- Disability Confident Employer: Commitment to supporting employees with disabilities.
- Pension Scheme: (Implied standard for UK local government roles)
- Annual Leave: (Implied standard for UK local government roles)
Working Hours:
- 33 hours per week (0.89 FTE)
📝 Enhancement Note: The salary is clearly stated. The primary benefit highlighted is the flexibility in working arrangements, which is a significant draw for many professionals. Other benefits are standard for a local government role but are presented with a focus on employee support and development. The FTE indicates a full-time role that is slightly less than standard hours, potentially contributing to the flexibility aspect.
🎯 Team & Company Context
🏢 Company Culture
Industry: Government & Public Sector Company Size: Large (Leicestershire County Council is a significant local authority employer) Founded: Leicestershire County Council has a long history as a local government body.
Team Structure:
- Digital Services Team: This role is part of an established Digital Services Team.
- Reporting: The role reports to the Digital Team Leader.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Close collaboration with service managers, business intelligence, Customer Service Centre, and the Information and Technology function.
Methodology:
- User-Centric Approach: Content creation and design are heavily influenced by customer evidence and user journeys.
- Data-Driven Improvement: Use of data and analytics (Google Analytics 4) to inform content decisions and drive continuous improvement.
- Collaborative Working: Emphasis on working innovatively and collaboratively with various stakeholders.
- Best Practice Adoption: Commitment to staying current with and promoting best practices in digital content and web publishing.
Company Website: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/
📝 Enhancement Note: The company context emphasizes a public service mission focused on improving the lives of Leicestershire residents. The Digital Services Team operates within this framework, focusing on efficient, user-friendly online service delivery. Collaboration and data-driven decision-making are key operational principles.
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Content Designer/Strategist. This role is responsible for executing content strategy, managing digital content, and influencing stakeholders, rather than setting overarching departmental strategy or managing a large team. Reporting Structure: Reports to the Digital Team Leader, indicating a clear hierarchy within the Digital Services Team. Operations Impact: The role directly impacts citizen engagement, service accessibility, and the efficiency of public services by shifting channel usage to online platforms. Effective content design can reduce support calls and improve user satisfaction.
Growth Opportunities:
- Skill Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in specific areas like accessibility, user research, or advanced CMS functionalities.
- Project Leadership: Opportunity to take lead on content aspects of larger digital projects.
- Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior content creators or contribute to team best practice development.
- Broader Digital Roles: Experience gained could lead to roles in digital transformation, UX design, or broader digital service management within local government or related sectors.
📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities are framed within the context of a large public sector organization, focusing on skill enhancement, project involvement, and potential progression within digital service delivery roles.
🌐 Work Environment
Office Type: Primarily office-based at County Hall, Glenfield, with hybrid working options available. Office Location(s): County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA. Workspace Context:
- Collaborative Environment: The role requires close collaboration with various internal teams, suggesting an environment conducive to teamwork and communication.
- Digital Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, CMS platforms (Drupal, SharePoint), analytics tools (Google Analytics 4), and likely project management software.
- Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with the Digital Services Team and other stakeholders for guidance, project work, and knowledge sharing.
Work Schedule:
- 33 hours per week, with flexibility discussed, potentially including hybrid working. This allows for structured work within the office and remote settings, balancing operational needs with employee well-being.
📝 Enhancement Note: The "Hybrid" aspect is derived from the explicit mention of flexible working discussions, which include hybrid options. The physical location is a traditional county council office setting.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Application Review: Focus on the supporting statement which must evidence how the candidate meets the criteria in the 'About You' section. Applications without this will be rejected.
- Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio, demonstrating their skills in content design, CMS usage, analytics, and user-centered design.
- Skills-Based Interview: Expect questions related to problem-solving, stakeholder management, content strategy, and handling complex content challenges.
- Cultural Fit Assessment: Evaluation of alignment with Leicestershire County Council's organizational values.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Structure Your Case Studies: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process (research, design, implementation), the tools used (CMS, analytics), and the outcomes (quantified results where possible).
- Highlight User-Centricity: Emphasize how user needs and data informed your design decisions and content choices.
- Showcase CMS Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience with Drupal and SharePoint, providing examples of complex content structures or features you've managed.
- Demonstrate Data Impact: Clearly articulate how you've used Google Analytics 4 and SEO to measure success and drive improvements.
- Address Accessibility: Include examples of how you ensure content is accessible.
Challenge Preparation:
- Content Audit/Redesign Task: Be prepared for a practical exercise involving analyzing existing content and proposing improvements, or creating new content for a specific user need.
- Stakeholder Scenario: Practice responding to scenarios where you need to advise or challenge a non-specialist stakeholder on content decisions.
- Problem-Solving Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would address common content issues, such as low engagement, poor search visibility, or user confusion.
📝 Enhancement Note: The application process strongly emphasizes the supporting statement. The portfolio review will be critical for demonstrating practical skills, and interview preparation should focus on articulating the "how" and "why" behind content decisions, backed by data and user-centric principles.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- Content Management Systems (CMS):
- Drupal: Experience with content creation, editing, workflow management, and potentially site structure within Drupal.
- SharePoint: Proficiency in managing content, documents, and potentially site pages within SharePoint environments.
- Web Analytics:
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Essential for tracking user behavior, content performance, and identifying areas for optimization.
- Design & Collaboration Tools:
- Standard office productivity suite (e.g., Microsoft Office).
- Potential use of wireframing or prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD) for user journey design, though not explicitly stated.
- Collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack) for team communication.
CRM & Automation:
- While not a direct CRM role, understanding how content integrates with citizen service portals or customer feedback mechanisms might be beneficial. Automation might refer to CMS features or workflow tools.
📝 Enhancement Note: The core technology stack revolves around CMS platforms (Drupal, SharePoint) and web analytics (GA4). Proficiency in these is non-negotiable. The role implies a need for understanding how content functions within a broader digital service ecosystem.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- Customer Focus: A strong commitment to serving the people of Leicestershire and making a real difference through effective digital services.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using evidence and data to inform content strategy and improvements.
- Collaboration & Teamwork: Working innovatively and collaboratively with diverse stakeholders across different departments.
- Continuous Improvement: A dedication to staying abreast of best practices and proactively seeking ways to enhance digital content and user experiences.
- Efficiency & Accessibility: Aiming to make public services easier to access and use online, promoting channel shift and ensuring content is accessible to all.
Collaboration Style:
- Cross-functional Integration: Requires close working relationships with service managers, IT, business intelligence, and customer service teams to ensure content meets business needs and user expectations.
- Advisory & Influential: The role involves not just executing tasks but also advising and influencing stakeholders, fostering a culture of shared responsibility for digital content quality.
- Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices and insights within the Digital Services Team and with wider council staff.
📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture is deeply rooted in public service values, emphasizing user needs, efficiency, and collaborative problem-solving. The role requires a proactive, communicative, and adaptable individual who can navigate a multi-stakeholder environment.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Managing diverse requirements and expectations from various service managers and departments while adhering to content strategy and best practices.
- Driving Channel Shift: Encouraging users to adopt online services through compelling and effective content, potentially overcoming resistance to change.
- Keeping Pace with Technology: Continuously learning and adapting to new developments in web technologies, CMS features, analytics, and accessibility standards.
- Measuring Impact: Clearly demonstrating the ROI of content design efforts, especially in a public sector context where direct revenue is not the primary metric.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Specialized Training: Opportunities for training in advanced Drupal/SharePoint features, UX writing, accessibility compliance, or advanced analytics.
- Industry Engagement: Potential to attend relevant digital content or public sector digital transformation conferences.
- Cross-Departmental Projects: Exposure to a wide range of public services, offering broad learning about council operations.
- Mentorship Programs: Potential for formal or informal mentorship within the Digital Services Team or the wider council.
📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a public sector digital role, focusing on stakeholder management, user adoption, and staying current. Growth is framed around deepening specialization and gaining broader experience within the organization.
💡 Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "Describe a time you used customer evidence or data to significantly improve a piece of web content or a user journey." (Focus on GA4, user research, and outcome)
- "How would you advise a service manager who wants to put complex, technical information on the website without considering the user's needs?" (Focus on communication, stakeholder management, and user-centered design principles)
- "Walk us through your process for creating new web content from initial brief to publication." (Detail your workflow, research, writing, editing, and testing stages)
Company & Culture Questions:
- "What do you know about Leicestershire County Council's digital services and how can effective content design support our mission?" (Research the council's website and strategic goals)
- "How do you ensure content remains accessible and compliant with relevant legislation?" (Demonstrate understanding of accessibility standards and governance)
- "How do you approach working with non-specialist stakeholders to achieve content goals?" (Highlight your communication and influencing skills)
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Select Diverse Examples: Choose 2-3 strong projects that showcase your range: one focused on user journey mapping, one on CMS implementation, and one demonstrating data-driven improvement using GA4/SEO.
- Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific contribution, the process, the tools used, and the measurable results.
- Be Ready for Deep Dives: Prepare to answer detailed questions about your design decisions, how you handled challenges, and how you measured success.
- Connect to Council Values: Briefly link your work and approach to the council's commitment to serving the community and driving efficiency.
📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating practical application of skills through case studies and articulating a user-centered, data-informed approach. The supporting statement and portfolio are key to passing the initial screening.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this Content Designer position:
- Submit your application through the provided link on the Oracle Cloud platform.
- Craft a Compelling Supporting Statement: This is crucial. Directly address each criterion listed in the 'About You' section, providing specific examples from your experience that demonstrate your skills in content design, CMS usage (Drupal/SharePoint), analytics (GA4), SEO, and stakeholder engagement.
- Optimize Your CV/Resume: Ensure your CV highlights relevant experience, skills, and achievements that align with the job description, using keywords such as "Content Design," "Web Content Management," "Drupal," "SharePoint," "Google Analytics," "SEO," and "User-Centered Design."
- Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a concise portfolio showcasing 2-3 of your best projects. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your process, skills, and the impact of your work, particularly in user journey optimization and data-driven improvements. Be ready to present and discuss it during interviews.
- Research Leicestershire County Council: Understand their mission, services, and digital presence to tailor your application and interview responses to their specific context and values.
⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.
Application Requirements
Candidates must demonstrate skills in designing, writing, and publishing web content while adhering to quality standards and accessibility requirements. Knowledge of content management systems like Drupal and SharePoint, as well as experience with SEO and analytics, is essential.