About the job

Job summary

The Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) profession enable the Home Office to keep the UK safe and secure. They do this by designing, building and running the services that help people apply for visas or passports, support policing and counter-terrorism operations, and protect the UK’s borders.

Team members have specialised knowledge and a calling to build on it. We want the best people to come to the Home Office and work in the diverse roles and communities they’re passionate about. This is how we produce exceptional outcomes.

The Home Office has created a government-leading bespoke career framework that enables career planning, while ensuring our people can be the best they can be. The framework includes Heads of Role, who are industry specialists. They build communities, set standards for what ‘good’ looks like, and ensure we have the right people in the right jobs at the right time.

We also have a profession management unit, which aims to provide the best professional experience to all our technical staff with a real passion for and focus on continuous professional development. We invest heavily in our people as part of growing our collective capability.

A Lead Technical Architect works across multiple projects or teams on problems that require broad architectural thinking. They share the responsibility for establishing the home Office approach to Technical Architecture and guide projects in using architecture’s, principles, standards and tooling to deliver new systems and services for citizens and home Office users.

As a Lead Technical Architect, you proactively and holistically lead and supports EA activities that guide the development and management of technical and infrastructure solutions that will assure other services and system quality, making sure the technical work fits into the broader strategy for government. You will be responsible for leading the technical design of systems and services, including detailed plans for integration in Technologies include data centre, infrastructure, cloud, mobile, AI, Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing and immersive experiences technologies. You will also explore the benefits of cross-government alignment of systems and services.

You will be the primary interface for technical requirements, product design and consulting. In addition, you will own the creation and delivery of the technical strategy. You will be responsible for building optimal designs through an iterative process by actively driving post implementation reviews and leading the identification of best practice and lessons learnt.

You will build effective partnerships with diverse teams across multiple locations and provide mentoring and leadership to other architects.

Due to business requirements this post is full-time, flexible working is available.

To be considered, you will need to successfully complete SC clearance before commencing the role. To meet the National Security Vetting requirements for this role you will need to have resided in the UK for a minimum of 5 years. 

Job description

Your main day to day responsibilities will include

• Creating optimal technical designs through an iterative process, aligning such factors as the user need within the system requirements, security and organisational objectives
• Leading the design and review processes for new solution and services, evidencing the inclusion of ‘Secure by Design” in the technical designs you produce, oversee and approve
• Developing and documenting the proposed technical design for the integration and implementation of any solution, working with and across other areas of DDaT and the business
• Presenting recommendations for technologies or improvements to enhance systems to support project goals clearly to senior management, based on knowledge of IT and analysis of systems’ needs
• Contributing to the development of architectural practice, ensuring a coherent and consistent strategy across cyber, cloud, data centre, storage, network, mobile and the user experience of infrastructure
• Contributing to the overall technical strategy and road map for the department in your area of expertise

You will also be expected to carry out the following day to day duties

• Evaluate the success of a project, once the solution has been integrated, and identify best practices and lessons learned
• Provide feedback to leadership and incorporate best practice and lessons learned into future integration plans
• Work with EA peers (e.g., enterprise, business, information, solutions and security architects) to analyse enterprise business context (business strategy and trends), as well as change requirements in other enterprise architecture viewpoints (such as technology, information and solution) to derive the future-state technology architecture. This includes defining the requirements, principles and models that guide technology decisions for the home office.
• Drive digital innovation by leveraging innovative technologies and approaches to renovate, extend, and transform the existing core technology base and IT estate.
• Manage, coach and mentor more junior Technical Architects

Person specification

Essential skills

You’ll have a demonstrable passion for Technical Architecture, with the following skills or strong experience in:

• Evidencing strong technical leadership qualities, with a passion for delivering leading edge designs, and inspiring a culture of technical excellence and innovative solutions
• Navigating the complex landscapes of technologies, 3rd party suppliers, internal and cross-government teams across multiple projects
• Anticipating and advising on future technology that present opportunities for the product or programme
• Managing and delivering complex technology solutions within time, cost and quality targets
• Defining, owning and contributing to the technical roadmap and strategy
• Demonstrating a detailed knowledge of technical requirements to implement, design and manage associated technologies
• Ability to understand the long-term (“big picture”) and short-term perspectives of situations and how they relate to achieving targeted outcomes
• In own areas of expertise, provides advice and guidance to consultants and/or the client when delivering consultancy services.

Desirable skills

Ideally you will also have the following skills or some experience in:

• Communicating clearly in a language which meets the needs of different users, with a good understanding of different channels and formats for different audiences and can adapt to stakeholders’ reactions with flexibility
• Working with scaled agile frameworks and implementations
• Having a strong preference for the leverage of community integrated market products wherever technical and security considerations allow
• Design and implementation experience in IT, with a deep knowledge in a minimum of two of the following (or similar) technical disciplines: infrastructure and network design, application programming interfaces (APIs), middleware, servers and storage,  clustering technologies, virtualization, cloud technologies
• Understanding of system development life cycle methodologies (such as waterfall, spiral, agile software development, rapid prototyping, incremental, synchronize and stabilize, and DevOps)
• It is desirable, but not essential, to have a TOGAF/BCS certificate in Enterprise and Solution Architecture

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Please find more information here - Benefits - Home Office Careers

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and Statement of Suitability (1000 words maximum) 

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please note your Statement of Suitability should concisely explain your motivation for applying for this role and offer evidence of how you meet the Essential skills criteria as set out in the job advertisement.

An initial sift will be based on your CV and Statement of Suitability.

Candidates shortlisted will be invited to an interview based on experience and Technical skills questions.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift will take place week commencing 8th January 2024.

Interviews will take place week commencing 29 January 2024

Please note interview will be carried our virtually using Microsoft Teams.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advertisement. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

Due to time constraints we may not be able to offer alternative interview date(s). It is therefore expected that candidates who are successful at sift stage will make themselves available during the above time frame given.

Further information

Please read the essential skills for this position carefully. We will only consider those who meet the listed requirement.

If you have previously made an unsuccessful application for a role with the same essential skills and are not able to demonstrate how you have developed these skills since your last application please reconsider applying as your application is unlikely to be successful.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

A location-based reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

We often have similar roles available at different grades. If a candidate is suitable for a similar role, or a lower grade than they have applied for, we may offer the candidate that role without the need to go through a further selection process providing the role has the same behaviours and essential skills

Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA)

This post is eligible for DDaT RRA. Successful candidates with exceptional skills and experience may apply for a Recruitment Retention Allowance up to £11,300. This allowance is subject to an initial review within six months of taking up the post and thereafter an annual review in line with departmental priorities and could be reduced or withdrawn at any time.

Hybrid Working

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working.  Where this is the case, employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office.  Applicants can discuss any specific questions with the Vacancy Holder.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

We encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ as they are currently under-represented in the Home Office at this grade level. Appointments will be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.