National Fostering Group – representing the UK’s leading fostering organisation – needed a complete overhaul of its careers portal. The existing site had become little more than a basic job board, failing to reflect the organisation’s strong values or employer proposition. The client wanted a digital platform that could engage a wide range of candidates – from social workers and carers to support staff – while also showcasing the benefits of working for the National Fostering Group. Internally, the project also had to bring together multiple stakeholder viewpoints and align them behind a clear, coherent vision.

Door4 began the project with an intensive half-day design workshop at the client’s offices, using a cutting-edge framework to identify core content needs and user goals. This enabled rapid development of rough wireframes in a collaborative format, followed by structured UX flows and UI design.

A clear stakeholder engagement process was established to navigate multiple voices, with a dedicated account manager consolidating feedback and ensuring all communications were channelled efficiently. The aim was to create a flexible, branded platform that would feel inspiring, inclusive, and accessible to prospective applicants across all roles.

The visual and UX strategy focused on repurposing existing assets wherever possible, with careful image cropping and the introduction of bespoke vector graphics to create a sense of energy and personality.

The site was built on WordPress for long-term adaptability and ease of content management, and integrated with a job listing API to maintain dynamic vacancy updates. Throughout the build, Door4 managed changing priorities with clarity and pragmatism, ensuring that scope changes were handled quickly and constructively to maintain delivery momentum.

The project had three core objectives:

• Enhance employer branding – by turning the careers portal into a genuine brand asset.
• Improve job application rates – by streamlining user journeys and making the application process more intuitive.
• Support internal alignment – by managing stakeholder inputs efficiently and delivering a cohesive final product.

Each of these was met through close collaboration, iterative design, and strong project governance. The site now provides a foundation for future initiatives, including a planned academy for social workers.

This strategic refresh of the NFG Careers platform has repositioned it as a meaningful employer brand experience, not just a recruitment tool. Through a balance of visual storytelling, intuitive UX, and robust technical delivery, Door4 created a flexible solution that’s ready to scale. The project reflects a strong collaborative process and an effective response to complex stakeholder needs.