Graphic designer
Find out what a graphic designer in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.
Last updated 30 November 2024 — See all updates
Contents
- — What a graphic designer does
- — Graphic designer role levels
- — 1. Associate graphic designer
- — 2. Junior graphic designer
- — 3. Graphic designer
- — 4. Senior graphic designer
- — 5. Lead graphic designer
- — 6. Head of graphic design
- — Roles that share graphic designer skills
What a graphic designer does
A graphic designer creates graphic elements that underpin interaction and service design. You will use layout, spacing, colour, type and iconography to ensure that content is legible and readable and that users see and understand interactions.
Graphic designer role levels
There are 6 graphic designer role levels, from associate graphic designer to head of graphic design.
The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.
1. Associate graphic designer
As a trainee in an entry-level position, working under supervision, you need aptitude, potential and an understanding of the role.
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- AO (Administrative Officer)
- EO (Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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2. Junior graphic designer
A junior graphic designer is a graduate with a degree in a relevant subject or an individual with some relevant work experience, or both.
At this role level, you will:
- explain design decisions
- work collaboratively
- have a responsibility as part of a service
- work independently after being given direction by more senior designers
- identify user issues and important needs
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- EO (Executive Officer)
- HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
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3. Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a confident and competent designer who can develop designs based on evidence of user needs and organisational outcomes.
At this role level, you will:
- be trusted to make good decisions
- recognise when to ask for further guidance and support
- contribute to the development of design concepts
- interpret evidence-based research and incorporate this into your work
- support the quality of design delivery across teams
- lead multiple or highly complex services
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
- SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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4. Senior graphic designer
A senior graphic designer is a designer who works with minimal support and can influence and mentor others.
At this role level, you will:
- work with service managers and programme directors to develop design concepts
- potentially have responsibility across complex services
- help set direction and embed good practice within teams
- make important decisions based on research and understand how this research impacts others
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
- G7 (Grade 7)
Skill | Description |
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
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5. Lead graphic designer
A lead graphic designer is an expert practitioner who influences and mentors others.
At this role level, you will:
- work with service managers and programme directors to develop design concepts
- set direction and assure the quality of design delivery across teams
- lead multiple or highly complex services
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- G7 (Grade 7)
- G6 (Grade 6)
Skill | Description |
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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6. Head of graphic design
A head of graphic design is an expert practitioner with broad industry experience, who can define and assure best practice while influencing, leading and mentoring others.
At this role level, you will:
- influence both design and organisational strategy and priorities
- collaborate with counterpart colleagues across government
- focus on ensuring the right conditions and environment for designers to work effectively
This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- G6 (Grade 6)
Skill | Description |
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
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Roles that share graphic designer skills
Role | Shared skills |
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Interaction designer | |
Service designer |
Updates
Published 7 January 2020
Last updated 30 November 2024
30 November 2024
- The graphic designer role has been refreshed with updated skills. The role now includes the new skills 'design communication', 'designing for everyone', 'designing strategically', 'designing together', 'evidence-based design', 'iterative design' and 'leading design.
- These skills have been removed from the role: 'agile working', 'communicating between the technical and non-technical', 'community collaboration', 'digital perspective', 'evidence- and context-based design', 'tools and software', 'leadership and guidance', 'prototyping in code', 'prototyping', 'strategic thinking', 'user focus', 'working within constraints'
30 August 2022
- The ‘communicating information’ skill has been renamed ‘communicating between the technical and non-technical’ to ensure consistency across the DDaT Profession Capability Framework.
7 January 2020
- First published.