Head of Technology Strategy

Job summary

Join The National Archives—the official archive and publisher for the UK Government and custodian of over 1,000 years of records—and lead the technology strategy that underpins how we preserve, protect and share the nation’s story.

We’re at the beginning of a three-year funded programme to renew our technology, The goals are to build organisational resilience, improve productivity, provide a world class digital experience for users, and to seize the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence. All that—whilst keeping essential public services running every day.

Job description

What you’ll do
• Own, develop and evolve The National Archives’ Technology Strategy and Architecture, aligning services to user needs and organisational outcomes.
• Lead technology governance and assurance in line with the Digital Functional Standard, Cyber Security Standard, and Technology Code of Practice.
• Drive an incremental approach to displacing legacy systems—breaking down monoliths and guiding delivery teams, putting in place a transitional architecture.
• Oversee cyber security and resilience as strategic priorities, ensuring Security by Design and operating effective second line of defence controls.
• Lead cross organisation AI strategy, governance, and adoption enabling innovation whilst managing risks.
• Champion open standards, open source, and cloud-native approaches, improving sustainability, whilst mitigating the risks of vendor lock-in.

Person specification

What we’re looking for
You’re a technology leader with enterprise-scale experience (ideally in a complex public-sector or regulated environment). You can set a clear strategic direction, influence senior stakeholders, and help multidisciplinary teams deliver secure, resilient, user-centred services.

Based at Kew, with hybrid working available (60% on site). If you’re excited by modernising national infrastructure, strengthening cyber security, and making responsible use of AI—while safeguarding records for generations—apply now.

Application process:
Interviews: Interviews will be held on site at the end of April. Part of the interview will require you to give a 5 minute presentation.
Application: Please submit your work history and a personal statement detailing how you meet the essential criteria below.

Essential Criteria:
1. Demonstrate enterprise-scale technology leadership, with strong knowledge of government digital standards and the ability to set technology strategy across service delivery, cloud adoption and cybersecurity.
2. Lead and inspire high-performing teams through clear strategic direction, strong stakeholder engagement and a culture that celebrates success while learning quickly to drive innovation.
3. Evidence the ability to deliver and continuously improve transformation at scale, leading end-to-end planning and coordinating cross-service dependencies in complex environments.
4. Maintain momentum and deliver outcomes under pressure by managing stakeholder expectations, resolving complex risks and dependencies, and applying innovative ways of working to remove barriers
5. Make sound, evidence-based decisions by leading multidisciplinary expertise, using complex data to identify trends and opportunities, and managing budgets to ensure efficient, high-quality delivery and value for money
6. Provide a user-centred, high-quality service by applying strategic thinking and coaching teams in Agile and Lean approaches, selecting and adapting methods across the delivery lifecycle
7. Demonstrate strategic awareness by anticipating issues, clearly articulating service challenges, and aligning delivery with project objectives and the wider organisational context.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.
Sponsorship: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £70,000, The National Archives contributes £20,279 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development.

Any move to The National Archives 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;

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Reasonable adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put 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 The National Archives via careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs

• Complete the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section 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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

Attachments

Job Description - Head of Technology Strategy Opens in new window (docx, 52kB)