Principle Enterprise Architect

Job summary

NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK with more than 24 million customers and over £240 billion invested. We are both a government department and an Executive Agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Our origins can be traced back more than 150 years to 1861.

A small company with a big reach, we offer a range of benefits including flexible working, a 9-day fortnight scheme, a performance-related variable pay bonus, a generous pension scheme and great opportunities for development. We care for colleagues, respect one another, invest in our people and manage talent effectively.

We are currently working in a hybrid way with colleagues expected to work at their chosen office location for 40% of their working month.

Reporting into the Chief Technology Officer, the role will ensure the Business has the appropriate technical and business design provision and capability to ensure Business Transformation Programme and wider Business goals can be met. Ensure the solutions being designed meet the business requirements by delivering the desired outcomes, target architecture and industry standards.

Job description

Full details of the key responsibilities can be found on the attached role profile

Person specification

Essential experience

• Significant experience as a successful enterprise architect.
• Significant experience of working in a compliant or regulated environment
• Significant experience in architecture lead roles in an outsourced business environment
• Significant experience of Data Centre, Cloud, AI, Digital Transformation in a financial services industry.
• Significant experience of managing the specification, development and delivery of change from a wide variety of third-party agencies, suppliers and specialists.
• Considerable experience of working across all digital channels.
• Proven track record of leading inhouse and external high performing teams.
• Demonstrable experience in leading EA function in a significant business transformation context

Required qualifications

• Degree in computer science, information systems, engineering or related subjects or equivalent by experience
• TOGAF certification or equivalent certification is desirable but not a requirement for the role.

Essential skills

• Excellent communication, influencing abilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Effective leadership skills

Essential technical knowledge and skills

• Knowledge of all components of a holistic EA.
• Solid understanding of software, hardware, architecture framework.
• Practical knowledge and experience of leading-edge technologies
• Knowledge of current and emerging trends eg agile project management practices, open source, cloud platforms, and digital technology services
• In-depth knowledge of systems architectures, performance, resilience, and scalability

Qualifications

Degree in computer science, information systems, engineering or related subjects or equivalent by experience

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £79,000, National Savings and Investments contributes £22,886 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Some benefits of working at NS&I include:

• • Learning and development tailored to your role
  • An environment with flexible hybrid working options
  • 9-day fortnight scheme
  • A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
  • A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
  • Generous annual leave – starting at 25 days, increasing to 30 days
  • Performance-related variable pay bonus
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave

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 and Experience.

To apply, please click the link on this advert and follow the steps to complete the application form.

In your application you will be asked to provide the following

• An outline of your career history and qualifications with your key responsibilities and achievements.
• A 500 word personal statement on your experience, focusing on the following key specifications.
  • Significant experience in architecture lead roles in an outsourced business environment
  • Significant experience of Data Centre, Cloud, AI, Digital Transformation in a financial services industry.
  • Demonstrable experience in leading EA function in a significant business transformation context
• A 250 word statement for each selected behaviour at sift.
  • Please use examples from your experience and knowledge to demonstrate how you meet them addressing the essential criteria in the Person Specification. We would recommend using the STAR ‘situation, task, action, result’ method of giving examples.

We will assess applications on your personal statement and behaviour statements.

In the event we receive a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted first on the Personal Statement. Only those that meet the minimum acceptable score for this criteria will qualify for the full sift and be considered for interview.

If shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a 1 hour panel interview via video call.

As part of this interview you will be asked to make a 10 minute presentation aimed at demonstrating the skills and knowledge listed in the person specification.

Interviews are planned to take place on the 2nd and 5th March 2026.

Right to Work

As part of our recruitment process NS&I will ask about your right to work status. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK and meet eligibility requirements to work within the UK Civil Service.

If applying for a role on a fixed-term contract, you must hold a valid visa that covers the full duration of the contract, or at a minimum, the majority of the term.

Please note we are currently unable to offer visa sponsorship, as a result candidates requiring sponsorship are not eligible to apply.

Security and Credit Checks

This role is subject to Baseline Personnel Security Standard and financial credit checks.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Working for NS&I

Any move to NS&I 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/.

For NS&I employees: If you are applying for a role at the same NS&I band as you are currently and the advertised salary of the role is higher, if you are successful, any salary increase will be at the discretion of NS&I and will be reviewed as part of the next annual pay review, in accordance with the NS&I employee handbook.

For Existing Civil Servants: If you are transferring from another government department at the same grade, your current salary will generally be matched within reasonable parameters and subject to NS&I pay ranges. If you are transferring on promotion, you will be offered the starting salary at the bottom of the pay scale. If you are transferring on promotion and your existing salary is within the advertised range, you will be offered a maximum of a 10% uplift on your existing salary (up to the advertised maximum).

For External Candidates: If you are not currently employed within the civil service, you will be offered the starting salary at the bottom of the advertised pay range.

Regular Travel

This role will requireregulartravel to other sites, please be aware if you travel to a second location on average 4 days a month, you may be liable for P11D taxation. If you have any queries concerning this please contact the NS&I HR Team.

Please visit our website http://nsandi-corporate.com/about-nsi for further details about NS&I.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : HR Team
• Email : jobs@nsandi.com

Recruitment team

• Email : jobs@nsandi.com

Further information

The law requires for selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis for fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service recruitment principles. 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 jobs@nsandi.com in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission info@csc.gov.uk

Attachments

Role Profile - Principle Enterprise Architect Opens in new window (pdf, 787kB)Benefits Leaflet - V2 updated 22-11-23 Opens in new window (pdf, 413kB)Pension candidate-pack V1 Opens in new window (pdf, 163kB)