Principal Technical Architect

Job summary

The MOD's digital teams ensure we remain among the most technologically advanced Armed Forces in the world. We develop and lead in cutting-edge data science, automation, and cybersecurity solutions to protect the UK and its interests, at home and abroad.

Our mission goes beyond the battlefield, by leading humanitarian efforts and driving innovation, that impacts lives across the globe.

Watch our video to see what we do at Defence Digital!

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

As Principal Technical Architect, you’ll be the driving force behind defining and embedding architectural strategy, ensuring it’s not only well-crafted but consistently delivered. In this leadership role, you’ll influence, engage and advise teams (engineering and architecture), making enterprise-wide technology decisions that shape national capability.

With a primary focus on apps, you’ll address design, development, enterprise CI/CD, tooling and product selection, overseeing delivery when required. You’ll also manage the architecture and migration to cloud-based providers, such as AWS, Azure and Oracle.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team in a senior leadership position, supporting our mission to provide strategic advantage and capability for Defence, through rapid and effective software delivery, based on clear prioritisation and agile practices.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction and make enterprise-level decisions on digital technologies, and product selections that drive integration and alignment with the overarching architectural vision and business requirements.
• Plan and deliver a prioritised schedule of work, using agile methodologies, securing agreement from stakeholders and ensuring all technical architecture artefacts are captured and maintained, within relevant repositories.
• Serve as a Service Assessor, evaluating internal and cross-government services to ensure compliance with the service standard and alignment with architectural principles.
• Promote re-use and scalability across Defence, driving integration by default and reducing duplicate technologies, to support sustainability and value for money.
• Lead, inspire and influence engineering and architecture teams to deliver high-quality outputs, aligned with strategic priorities.
• Role model and champion product and service delivery, using agile user centred design methodologies, helping Defence modernise its delivery practices.

Person specification

Please ensure that your CV and application meet the essential criteria below:

We’d expect to see expertise in architectural tools (e.g., ArchiMate) and frameworks, such as design patterns, modelling languages and component building blocks, to support complex design, governance and stakeholder engagement.

You’ll be able to demonstrate a breadth of technical knowledge, enabling you to advise and challenge teams to find the best solutions for Defence. You’ll have knowledge of data and security architecture and approaches to data storage and management.

This role may also be suitable for individuals who have progressed into technical architecture from previous roles in software engineering or architecture, working in agile delivery teams.

You’ll need:

• Strong stakeholder management skills, able to build working relationships across diverse groups, influencing decisions and aligning outcomes with strategic goals.
• Adaptability and resilience, able to manage shifting priorities and guiding others to deliver at pace.
• Experience in leading, supporting, coaching and mentoring colleagues.
• A passion for security and technology and identifying and solving problems.
• Motivation, commitment and desire to continue to learn and develop.

If not held already, opportunity may be provided to gain the following when in post:

• TOGAF certification
• Open Agile Architecture™ Practitioner Certification

Additional information

This post is eligible for a Digital Skills Allowance of up to £18,000 per annum. Eligibility for this allowance will be assessed at interview against 4 core technical skills only and reviewed annually in line with MOD policy.

This position can be based at either MOD Corsham, Westwells Road, Corsham, SN13 9NR, MOD Abbey Wood, Filton, Bristol, BS34 8JH or MOD Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB.

Work location will be agreed once the successful candidate has been selected.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station, which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this). If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

Dependent on the business need, there may be a requirement to travel to meetings within the UK (or potentially occasional overseas visits).

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Technical design throughout the life cycle
• Architect for the whole context
• Making architectural decisions
• Strategy design

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,840, Ministry of Defence contributes £21,101 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Our benefits include:

• Learning and development tailored to your role with a dedicated minimum of 5 days per year
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (by 1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of five years’ service
• Ability to roll up to 10 days annual leave per year
• In addition to eight public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Parental and Adoption Leave
• Discounts on a range of services within and external to the civil service – Defence Discount Service, Civil Service societies for Sports and Leisure, Healthcare, Insurance, Motoring, Company discounts with Virgin, Vodafone, and Microsoft Office.
• In year rewards and ‘thank you’ schemes such as vouchers and gift cards
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Please see Benefits Leaflet for more detail

Equality and Diversity:

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process if this is something you want to explore.

Defence Digital operates an organisation model in which every individual belongs to a Government Profession. The successful applicant will be posted into one of the defined Government Professions on Standard Terms of Reference for the grade. Defence Digital reserves the right to move individuals between roles, within their allocated profession, to meet the needs of the business and in support of agile resourcing.

Defence is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way it conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts are/will be subject to review and potential changes, as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout the transformation programme, Defence is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with personnel and Trade Unions.

Please Note:

• The post does not offer relocation expenses.
• External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
• Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
• Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
• Any move to MOD 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/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights

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 Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application:

At application you will be assessed against the following:

• Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience. Please ensure it highlights your relevance to the essential criteria listed in the person specification.
• Personal Statement: Describe how your experience is relevant for this role and how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the advert. Maximum 750 words.
• Behaviour: Leadership. Maximum 250 words.

Interview:

We’ll assess you against these behaviours, technical skills & experience during the interview process:

Presentation

• You’ll be asked to prepare and deliver a presentation, details will be provided prior to interview.

Behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical Skills

• Technical design throughout the life cycle
• Architect for the whole context
• Making architectural decisions
• Strategy design

The Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework and the Principal Technical Architect role used in this vacancy can be found at: Technical architect - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

Further information:

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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 : Defence Digital Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : ukstratcomdd-hr-talentacqdel@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

DD_Campaign Pack_New 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 1889kB)Defence Civil Servant Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)DDat Framework Opens in new window (docx, 12kB)