About the job

Job summary

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

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

If so, this role may be perfect for you.

DWP Digital seek exceptional experienced Security Architects to ensure security architecture considerations are built into DWP Digital solution designs from the outset.

These roles will engage with projects from the Discovery phase and throughout the life cycle through to disposal.

As Security Architects you will blend technical security knowledge, architecture design, and development skills. You will have a deep knowledge and experience in Security.

Job description

• Deliver and support the technical and security architecture design elements of DWP Digital projects / initiatives.
• Work with engineering teams, and other Digital colleagues, to create VFM solution designs.
• Contribute to the security product architecture, develop security product roadmaps and represent product designs at governance forums.
• Provide clear communication of security architecture design and decision making, to gain approval to proceed with designs.
• Create security solution options and recommendations - during project discovery and inception phases.
• Provide expert advice to Solution Architects to drive technology choice decisions.
• Contribute to, and build capability in, the DWP Architecture community, and in particular its security expertise.

It will be beneficial to hold 1 or more of the following or equivalent when starting the role but aren’t essential:

• Azure/AWS Architecture certified.
• CCSK Certified /CCSP Certified.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

Person specification

The essential criteria are outlined in the selection process details.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Isaac.morrison@dwp.gov.uk.

Benefits

• An employer pension contribution of up to 27% For further information please click here.
• Annual leave rising up to 30 days, (based on your working pattern).
• Family friendly flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Learning and development tailored to your role this could include industry recognised qualifications, coaching and mentoring.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join staff networks including: Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

This job 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. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from £52,412 to £63,517.

The maximum salary for the grade is £63,517, however a Digital Allowance of up to £6,483 per annum is available for exceptional candidates, based on our assessment of your skills and experience.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the next grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.

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.

Stage 1: Application

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

1. A completed Personal Details application form.

2. A curriculum vitae including education, professional qualifications and full employment history, giving details of key achievements.

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

When uploading your CV, do not include personal information or links to any webpages or profiles that identifies you. This means we can recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity. Take out references to your name/title, educational institutions, age, sex, email address, postal address, telephone number or nationality/immigration status.

When giving details in your CV you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:

• Application Architecture design and modelling techniques, tools, and standards.
• Application Security Testing e.g., OWASP and Secure Code Assessment tools, and security of container/cluster based solutions e.g. Docker, Kubernetes.
• Identity Management and federation including SSO.
• Cloud Acceleration, SD-WAN, DDoS and network based controls.
• Cloud based assurance and risk models and their application, including NIST and other associated frameworks.
• Information Security innovation as part of the future of Application Reference Architecture.

When giving details of your redacted CV, you should therefore include details of the work and projects that you have been involved in, and your role therein.

Important information

• Please attach your redacted CV as a separate additional document in either PDF or word format.
• If your CV contains any personal details your application may be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview

If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours and Technical Skills:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Technical Breadth
• Turning business problems into technical designs

You will be asked to do a short (5 minutes) presentation on a specific topic. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview. 

Interviews will take place from late-January 2024.

Sift and Interview dates to be confirmed.
https://careers.dwp.gov.uk/how-we-recruit/

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. 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. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DigitalRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How We Recruit page

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.