Lead Data Architect - £71,835 - £81,090 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Lead Data Architectto join our Strategy and Architecture Function within the Digital and Technology Group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 7-8 Wellington Place, Leeds.

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The Digital and Technology Group (DTG) lies at the heart of the Agency and is responsible for delivering an optimised IT infrastructure and maximising the secure use of data to enable our scientists, inspectors, and the rest of the organisation to deliver world class services which can improve outcomes for patients and the general public. The Group was essential in the race to approve COVID-19 vaccines in 2020 and in supporting the UK to set up its own medicines and devices approvals systems following our exit from the EU. The work we do matters!

Its centre of excellence is also responsible for delivering a broad portfolio of change initiatives, both to transform the Agency’s legacy technologies and to deliver innovative new solutions, designed around our customers’ needs. DTG works in a holistic way to combine digital and technology change, data and information management, project delivery, business process, product management and cultural change to maximise out impact and ensure sustainability.

We plan to be at the heart of one of the most digitally advanced medical regulators in the world and we need people who can help us deliver that ambition. DTG is a great place to build your career and we are committed to enabling our people to do the best work of their lives.

Job description

The Strategy & Architecture team is responsible for ensuring that DTG service provision supports the delivery of the Agency's strategy and Corporate Delivery Plan including meeting MHRA’s financial and performance targets and delivery objectives. The team is responsible for providing digital, data and technology design assurance to ensure proposed solutions are compliant with legislation, standards and Government policy.

As a Lead Data Architect, you will play a vital role in designing and governing the enterprise data architecture to support regulatory, scientific, and operational functions.

This is an exciting opportunity to work on data-focused products and services in a complex digital environment, supporting major initiatives across MHRA.

In this role, you'll work across multiple projects, applying broad architectural thinking to design data models, metadata systems, and data dictionaries. You'll provide oversight and guidance to teams and projects, ensuring standards are met and solutions align with organisational principles.

You'll also work closely with technical architects to make sure systems are designed in accordance with the appropriate data architecture.

This role demands a strategic thinker with deep technical expertise, strong analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders to create a cohesive data architecture that meets the department’s current and future needs.

Key responsibilities:

• Data Architecture Design
  • Demonstrate expertise in data architecture including design of data platforms, modelling techniques, patterns, tools, and standards.
  • Experienced in presenting data architecture designs to technical governance forums, ensuring alignment with organisational standards and strategic objectives.
• Data Governance and Standards
• • Skilled in data modelling, master data management (MDM), metadata management, and data governance to ensure consistency, quality, and compliance across the enterprise.
  • Ensure solutions adhere to government policies such as the Data Protection Act, GDPR, and the Technology Code of Practice.
  • Alignment to emerging global data standards

Data Integration and Management

• • Experienced in designing data integration services to ensure seamless data flow across various systems and platforms, including legacy systems, cloud environments, and third-party applications.
  • Develop and maintain data lineage and metadata management practices to provide transparency and control over data assets.

Strategic Technology Leadership

• • Proven ability to shape and support technology initiatives, projects, programmes, and portfolios, ensuring architectural integrity and alignment with organisational goals.

Key Results

• High-Quality, Reusable Data Assets
  • Enterprise data models, metadata, and standards are well-governed, up-to-date, and widely adopted by delivery teams.
  • Data is consistently structured and reusable across multiple services, reducing duplication and integration costs

Improved Data Quality and Interoperability

• • Improvements in departmental data quality - scores, completeness, and consistency.
  • Increased interoperability between internal and cross‑government systems, enabling more efficient service delivery.

Robust, Scalable Data Architecture for New Services

• • New digital services and transformation projects implement approved data patterns, meeting architectural and compliance requirements.
  • Data platforms are scalable, secure, and aligned with the department’s enterprise architecture

.Strong Governance and Reduced Risk

• • Reduced data-related risks through strong architecture assurance, improved governance, and adherence to privacy and security policies.
  • Clear data ownership and stewardship embedded across business areas.

Strategic Value from Data

• • Data is used effectively to inform strategic planning, operational reporting, and advanced analytics.
  • Stakeholders recognise the Data Architecture function as a trusted, enabling partner.

Person specification

Our successful candidate will demonstrate the following.

• Extensive experience working as a Data Architect within large or complex organisations, contributing to multi‑team or multi‑programme delivery working from early discovery through to live services, supporting projects and products at different stages of maturity.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders, influencing design decisions, and balancing trade‑offs between business needs, cost, risk, and technical constraints.
• Desirable: Experience delivering data solutions in environments with strong regulatory, privacy, or security requirements (e.g. public sector, health).

Person Specification:

Method of assessment: A=Application, T=Test, I=Interview, P=Presentation

Behaviour Criteria:

• Leadership (I)
• Making Effective Decisions (I)
• Working Together (I)
• Communicating and Influencing (I)

Experience Criteria:

• Extensive experience working as a Data Architect within large or complex organisations, contributing to multi‑team or multi‑programme delivery working from early discovery through to live services, supporting projects and products at different stages of maturity. (A, I)
• Experience advising senior stakeholders, influencing design decisions, and balancing trade‑offs between business needs, cost, risk, and technical constraints. (A, I)
• Desirable: Experience delivering data solutions in environments with strong regulatory, privacy, or security requirements (e.g. public sector, health). (A)

Technical Criteria:

• Strong understanding of data modelling techniques (conceptual, logical, physical) and how they are applied to enterprise and solution architectures. (A)
• Knowledge of common integration patterns, including APIs, messaging, batch and event‑driven data flows, and how these support interoperability (A)
• Understanding of data governance principles, including metadata, lineage, data quality, ownership, and lifecycle management. (A, P)
• Knowledge of modern data platform components (e.g. cloud data services, data lakes/warehouses, MDM, analytics layers) and how they fit together architecturally. (A, P)

Desirable

• Knowledge of FHIR and HL7 standards. (A)
• Degree level or a minimum of 3 years of professional experience. (A)

Strengths

• Motivator (I)
• Problem Solver (I)
• Challenger (I)
• Influencer (I)

If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please click here for further details.

Please note: The job description may not open in some internet browsers. Please use Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you have any issue viewing the job description, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £71,835, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £20,810 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months full pay/five months half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join Motoring , Boundless by CSMA
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

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

We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here.

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank.
• Presentation, to be prepared as part of your interview, with further information being supplied when you reach this stage.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

Use of AI in Job Applications

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Closing date: 7th April 2026

Shortlisting date: 13th April 2026

Interview date: 21st April 2026

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:

• Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
• Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
• Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
• Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.

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. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Any move to the MHRA 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 here.

Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing salary and are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the financial implications of any potential move and the impact (if any) on their terms. If an individual is in any doubt, they should seek clarification before accepting a job offer.

Staff joining on promotion will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary, or the pay band minimum, whichever is the greater.

The individual will not retain any allowances paid by the former department/Agency, unless there are special circumstances, such as a reserved right to those allowances on transfer.

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact careers@mhra.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

info@csc.gov.uk

Civil Service Commission

Room G/8

1 Horse Guards Road

London

SW1A 2HQ

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

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 : Ed Stroud
• Email : MHRA@allenlane.co.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.uk

Further information

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Resourcing Team at Careers@mhra.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk - info@csc.gov.uk - Civil Service Commission Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ