Information Architect - Head of Taxonomy

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair, and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counterterrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration, and passports.

The Migration and Borders Group is responsible for policy, legislation and reform of the immigration systems and acts as a centre for excellence to deliver international interventions and engagement. This work touches many of the most high-profile policy areas for the Home Office, including asylum, migration, nationality, extradition, citizens’ rights, borders, and international criminality.

The Data Excellence Capability (DEC) is a cross Migration and Borders function to provide data leadership, direction, and drive collaboration across the key system enablers. DEC leads on co-ordinating and directing system wide efforts and data improvements and provides enduring expertise to support the systems immediate needs along with building long term sustainable solutions.

As Head of Taxonomy, you will play a critical role in structuring, organising and governing information to ensure it is easily discoverable, consistent, and aligned with the Migration & Borders (M&B) System Outcomes. You will develop, implement, and advance the strategic approach to a Taxonomy service for M&B System, developing taxonomies and establishing the service offering to support data driven decision making across the department.

Job description

We are recruiting for the Head of Taxonomy for Migration and Borders (M&B) in the Data Excellence Capability (DEC), as part of the M&B System Leadership Directorate. This role is pivotal in setting how M&B approaches taxonomy, one of the most complex and highest profile parts of the UK Government.

This is a strategic and stretching role. The successful candidate will lead delivering taxonomies and embedding taxonomy best practice in projects across the M&B System, including resolving inconsistencies in terminology, reframing classification structures, identifying and rationalising overlapping hierarchies inherited from legacy systems or siloed business units and aligning/mapping classification standards between internal and external bodies to enable coherent data sharing and reporting.

Key responsibilities:

• You will design, implement and manage taxonomies, glossaries, definitions and other metadata for data projects across the M&B system, performing a consultative function to support the varying needs, understanding the complexity of the wider departmental structure and providing stakeholders with guidance, training, lessons learned and recommendations.
• You will address complex, multi-layered challenges that span digital and data services, information management and data standards across M&B. Problems are often novel, and require balancing technical accuracy, user needs, with operational realities.
• You will support data owners in adopting good data management practices by integrating a system-wide taxonomy and reference data service, ensuring consistent classification, improved discoverability, and secure data exchange across the M&B System, generating improvements in data quality.
• You will lead engagement both internally and externally. Internally, you will collaborate with various teams, requiring a high level of diplomacy and the capacity to manage complex relationships effectively to align teams towards common goals. Externally, you will engage with other departments, stakeholders, and the public, facilitating constructive dialogue.
• You will shape the taxonomy strategy and service model for M&B. Our ambition is that working with taxonomies should be a core part of the skills needed in a data-literate organisation.

Travel:

Occasional travel may be required to other work locations within the UK. All related costs will be reimbursed in line with Home Office policy.

Line Management:

At present, there is no line management responsibility, but this may change over time.

Working Pattern:

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours working, with a minimum requirement to work 37 hours per week due to business requirements. Applications from job share candidates are welcome, but any job offer is conditional upon a viable job-sharing arrangement being available.

MBG locations

MBG is currently prioritising recruitment to our Places for Growth locations. However, MBG operates a ‘right to remain’ policy for existing MBG staff currently working at a location outside those listed above. While ‘right to remain’ requests are contingent upon reasonable business need and existing terms and conditions, we will aim to ensure there is no need to move office while supporting your career and development within MBG.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

You will have a demonstrable passion for digital change and adoption, with the following skills or proven experience in:

• Experience in taxonomy development, with the ability to embed changes effectively across a large data architecture. We welcome evidence from professional roles, projects, or academic work.
• Familiarity with taxonomy management tools (e.g., Synaptica, GraphWise, Graphologi) and knowledge in semantic standards (e.g., Simple Knowledge Organisation System, Web Ontology Language and Resource Description Framework or similar.
• Understanding of ontologies and semantic technologies (such as knowledge graphs or semantic layers) and their application to improve data connectivity and meaning.
• Experience working with language technologies, including natural language processing (NLP), large language models (LLMs), machine learning, or generative AI, or the ability to collaborate effectively on projects involving these technologies.
• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to explain complex topics clearly and inclusively to diverse audiences, including non-specialists and non-technical colleagues. Adapt communication style to meet diverse needs.
• Proven project and relationship management skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across diverse teams and systems to deliver change in a large and complex organisation.

Desirable Criteria

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

• Working with taxonomies in a public sector organisation.
• Migration and borders.

Technical skills

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

• OR01 - Strong and empowering leadership
• CT01 - Impact of change on the use of information
• IF01 - Information flows.
• IS01 - Managing the information lifecycle in systems
• LI01 - Cataloguing and classifying information

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• 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.

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

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.

We will endeavour to conduct the selection process in line with the dates indicated below, but cannot guarantee that these will not, where necessary, be revised.

Applications:

• Application by the 04th of February 2026.

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

• CV
• Personal Statement (maximum 1250 words)

Your CV should consist of your career history and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be scored against the experience required for the role as noted within the essential criteria.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV and Personal Statement), you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers website.

Sift – commencing 09th of February 2026

The sift will be held on the CV and Personal Statement.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift will be conducted on the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift will then be progressed to a full sift.

Interview – week commencing 09th of March 2026

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview that will be against technical experience and an experience-based presentation.

Presentation:

In addition, candidates will be asked to prepare a presentation that will be delivered at interview. The presentation question/scenario will be disclosed closer to the interviews.

The presentation will be assessed against KIM Framework and will be assessed against the Technical Skills as listed in the job advertisement.

The interview will take place on Microsoft Teams. Further details and instructions will be provided closer to the scheduled interview.

For guidance and information on what to expect and how to prepare for an interview, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers.

Problems during the application:

If you experience problems accessing this advert, or you think you’ve made a mistake on an initial application, please contact hocandidates.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk, including the vacancy reference, at least two working days before the vacancy closes. Further information can be found on our website.

Do not create or attempt to submit another application, online test or use a different Civil Service Jobs account to proceed as this would be in violation of the candidate declaration.

Reserve List:

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is no guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.

Location Preferences:

You can select up to three locations in order of preference. Please ensure that these are locations you are prepared to travel to. If you are offered a role at one of your preferred locations and you decline, your application will be withdrawn.

Reserve lists will be held for each location and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.

Standards

All Civil Servants are expected to comply with the Civil Service Code, and its core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UK Security Vetting clearance, candidates will be subject to a range of additional checks. The range of checks conducted will depend on whether you are a current Home Office employee, existing civil servant, or an external new entrant as well as the role requirements. Further details are included in the Notes to Candidates.

Further Information

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct.

If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking se.rvice telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.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 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.

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 : HORC Campaign Team (HSG, PSG & MBG)
• Email : HORCCampaignTeamHSGPSGandMBG@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, then contact the Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

GKIM_Skills_Framework_-_static (4) Opens in new window (docx, 401kB)Home Office Candidate_Information_v15_DECEMBER_2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 429kB)2025-11-17 Pre-employment Checking - Document Requirements (V17) Opens in new window (pdf, 231kB)