About the job

Job summary

The Home Office is here to make our country safer. As well as working to protect the most vulnerable, reduce crime and enforce the law, we also work to, and have a proud history of, providing refuge to those who have been displaced or are seeking asylum. Whether it is fighting crime, protecting our borders or combating slavery, the Home Office (HO) is at the cutting edge of public policy in this country and our work is some of the most challenging and rewarding in government.

The role of the Public Safety Group (PSG), which sits within the HO, is to keep the public safe by protecting the vulnerable, cutting crime, disrupting the highest harm criminals and ensuring that our police, fire and rescue services are as trusted, efficient and effective as they can be in delivering front line public services. 

The people in our Group develop and implement policy, provide funding, and deliver legislation. We make the most of innovation, data, and partnerships to  protect the vulnerable, prevent crime, and tackle the highest harm crimes. We work with our partners in law enforcement, establishing governance arrangements at a national, regional and local level.

Job description

Britain’s emergency services work 24/7 to serve the public in some of the most dangerous and challenging situations. To help them do their job even more effectively, the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) is creating a next generation mobile communications network, including secure and resilient voice and broadband data services, which will be used by thousands of front line police officers, paramedics and fire-fighters.

ESMCP is a pan-government, cross departmental, programme based within the Home Office having representation from the emergency services at both operational and departmental levels and has close working involvement from the suppliers of the Emergency Service Network (ESN) technology.

ESN will transform how our blue-light services respond to incidents, offering better mobile coverage, leading to faster response times. It will allow emergency service professionals to work together more efficiently and effectively when incidents and accidents occur by sharing data across the new digital network. The new network is dynamic and can take advantage of new technology as it develops, making sure that those doing the vital job of protecting the public and saving lives get the best and most modern communications tools available. 

This is a challenging and exciting opportunity to work on one of Governments biggest programmes supporting the essential services provided by our Emergency Services.

The G7 Lead Technical Architect role sits within the Technical Architecture and Strategy team, which is responsible for setting the overall technical approach for the programme, defining the programme’s architecture as well as external engagement on technical standards, international standards and other issues.

This position offers opportunities to:

• Be a part of defining the future strategy for one of the largest Government programmes.
• Play a leading role in shaping ESMCP’s Enterprise Architecture and relevant governance.
• Collaborate with the telecom industry leaders, develop new technical skills and learn from industry experts.
• Play a key role in the delivery of a complex, world-leading system based on a novel technological approach.
• Work with a range of emergency services users to deliver technology that supports and enhances their work in keeping the public safe.
• Work with colleagues across the government on mission critical communications and future communications technologies.

Recruitment and Retention Allowance (RRA)

Candidates with exceptional skills and experience may receive a recruitment and retention allowance (RRA) of between £4,500 and £11,300. This allowance is subject to 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.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estates capacity, by Spring 2024. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).

Person specification

We are looking for an experienced architect with good exposure to solution architecture and enterprise architecture along with good interpersonal skills.

Some of the key responsibilities of this role would be to:

• Perform architecture compliance reviews and ensure compliance with external and internal standards and principles.
• Write new architecture documents as required.
• Communicate ESN designs to the wider programme team, users and external audiences in a clear and succinct manner.
• Contribute to the architectural and strategy discussions and workshops.
• Help improve architecture documentation and processes.
• Lead on design activities for various technical workstreams within the programme.
• Provide support to other work within the Technology Strategy team and wider programme, as required.

The candidate will have the experience of creating architectures that integrate distinct technologies in a multi-supplier environment.

You must also be willing and proactive in constantly broadening your technical knowledge using a number of sources.

Essential Criteria

• Creating technical architecture models and architecture representations.
• Experience of working with and defining architecture principles, policies and standards and the relevant governance.
• Experience in architecture governance and the experience in delivering end to end architecture and solutions.
• Experience of writing technical documents.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with a variety of technical and business stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria

Experience or knowledge of the below skills would be advantageous, but the role could also suit a person with varied architecture experience looking for a new and interesting challenge:

• Telecoms experience.
• Knowledge of Public Safety technologies.

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%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV (job history/qualifications/skills)
• Statement of Suitability (Personal statement) (750 words maximum)

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

The Statement of Suitability must be aligned to demonstrate how you meet the Essential Criteria as detailed in the job description.

The sift will be held on the Statement of Suitability and the CV which will both be scored.

Successful candidates shortlisted for interview will be tested on all Behaviours outlined in the job advertisement along with the Technical Skills listed, as set out in the SFIA framework.

In addition candidates will asked to prepare a presentation/exercise to be delivered at interview, further testing the Technical Skills required for the role (question to be disclosed closer to the interviews).

Please refer to the Technical Skills within the SFIA Framework (https://sfia-online.org/en/legacy-sfia/sfia-7/all-skills-a-z).

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying and generating of examples/answers from internet sources including Artificial Intelligence. If any is detected, the application may be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving civil servants. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants.

Sift and Interview Dates

The sift is expected to take place from week commencing 19th February 2024.

Interviews will take place from week commencing 4th March 2024.

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

Interviews will take place remotely via video. Candidates will be required to have access to:

• A laptop (personal or work) with a working webcam
• Good internet connection
• Microsoft Teams

PLEASE NOTE: 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 details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.

Further information

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 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.

Please Note: The successful candidates will be required to hold or be willing to secure Security Check (SC) clearance.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 12 months from which further appointments 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 for them to go through a further selection process.

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.

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.