Digital Accessibility and Usability Tester

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education.

The role

Learning Experience and Technology (LXT) contains teams which work together collaboratively to design, deliver, and manage a sustainable and unified end-to-end learner experience of technology. Our goal is to create great user experiences, applying professional digital product management standards to enable our academic colleagues to realise their teaching vision and allow students to achieve their learning objectives.

Within LXT, we are in the process of forming an Accessibility and Usability Evaluation team, which will provide expert guidance in accessibility and usability to the team and wider OU. We are looking for an Accessibility and Usability Tester to join this new, innovative team who will support the production of accessibility and usability evaluations according to established processes. This will include conducting user testing and working with team members to assess and develop the systems and websites used by OU students and staff.

We are looking for someone who has a true passion for inclusion and diversity, ensuring our digital presence is open to all. The role holder will work closely with internal stakeholders and external providers to ensure that all accessibility/usability evaluations are performed correctly to the agreed guidelines and standards.

The OU campus is based in Milton Keynes however we are happy to offer flexible working for these opportunities, with occasional travel to Milton Keynes required.

Skills and experience

• Do you possess a good working knowledge of appropriate accessibility/usability guidelines and practices?
• Do you understand the standards used to develop websites and mobile apps such as HTML, CSS as well as basic concepts of digital accessibility and usability?
• Are you able to work under pressure and respond to changes in a flexible and positive manner, whilst working effectively either independently or as part of a larger team?
• Do you possess a passion for equality, diversity and inclusion, and enthusiasm for driving forward the OU’s mission statement in ensuring our digital tools and websites are accessible for all?

If you can answer “Yes” to these questions, then we would love to hear from you.

The full summary of duties and skills required for the role can be found within the Job Description.
What you get in return

We offer a great range of benefits that support our employees and their families for the long term. Benefits include an attractive pension proposition and 30 days holiday per annum pro rata, plus Bank Holidays and Christmas closure days.

Colleagues wellbeing and development is at the forefront of our culture. We embrace diversity and recognise and reward our employees for the fantastic work they do. For more information about our people and wellbeing focus, please contact the Resourcing Hub.