Senior Technical Architect

Job summary

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.

Do you want work collaboratively designing modern IT architecture for some of the largest digital transformations in Europe?

Do you want to help support millions of our claimants by designing user-friendly digital services?

If so, these roles may be perfect for you!

We are seeking a Senior Technical Architect specialising in Collaboration and Communication technology, with expertise to operate effectively within complex digital environments. The successful candidate will support the Lead Technical Architect in key initiatives within Technology Services.

The Collaboration Communication and Network Services (CCNS) team is part of DWP’s Digital and Transformation Group, responsible for delivering and managing enterprise collaboration platforms such as Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Purview and associated security and governance services. We enable 90,000+ colleagues to work securely and effectively across the organisation.

This role is a Senior Technical Architect position, providing architectural leadership for services including Microsoft SharePoint, Legacy FileStore, OneDrive and Cross Government collaboration tooling. The architect will shape strategy, design solutions, and assure delivery for high-impact programmes that underpin DWP’s digital transformation.

This is an exciting time to join us. You’ll shape the future and support our mission to deliver exceptional products and services that work for everyone.

Job description

A senior technical architect works with multiple projects or teams on problems that require broad architectural thinking.

At this role level, you will:

• Be responsible for leading the technical design of systems and services, justifying and communicating design decisions
• Assure other services and system quality, ensuring the technical work fits into the broader strategy for government
• Explore the benefits of cross-government alignment

Person specification

When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:

• Architecture design across on-prem, cloud and hybrid environments involving networking, security, presentation, middleware, database, and integration aspects.
• Architecture design informed through use of principles, patterns, technical radars, practices and standards.
• Architecture design working with project delivery teams within agile, waterfall and hybrid environments throughout the lifecycle - from concept to go-live.
• Translating business requirements into technical solutions with traceability that can be demonstrated to stakeholders.
• Architecture design through use of architecture modelling techniques and tools to devise and represent.
• Communication & Collaboration Technologies (across all device types and operating systems, in a multi-tenant, multi-location environment), especially expertise in Microsoft 365 solutions (e.g. SharePoint, Teams and Copilot), Adobe Products, whiteboarding and File Store solutions.
• Cloud Computing: Knowledge and experience of cloud platforms (e.g. AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) designing cloud solutions and managing cloud resources for scalability, performance and cost-efficiency. Experience with Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), cloud-based application deployment technologies, design patterns, tools, security, configuration, performance and best practice.
• Information/Data Security, Governance, Management & Compliance: Data Privacy, Data Lifecycle Management, Legislation, Discovery, Disaster Recovery & Backup including tooling eg. Log Analytics & Purview.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact [email removed].

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Architecture communication (Practitioner)
• Architect for the whole Context (Practitioner)
• Community Collaboration (Practitioner)
• Making Architectural Decisions (Practitioner)
• Strategy Design (Practitioner)
• Technical Design throughout the life cycle (Practitioner)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £16,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Salary Information

The role is part of the Government Digital and Data profession and utilises an enhanced Government Digital and Data Pay Framework linked to capability which provides access to a Government Digital and Data allowance.

Pay for this role is £57,946 to £68,205, subject to candidate type. In addition to this, the role can attract a Government Digital an