Senior Technical Architect – £57,028 p.a. + benefits

Job summary

We are currently looking for a Senior Technical Architect to join our Strategy & Architecture Team within the Digital & Technology group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 7-8 Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. We are open to requests for flexible working. Please discuss this with the recruiting manager before accepting an appointment.

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.

A Digital Allowance of up to £15,000 per annum may be available for exceptional candidates based on our assessment of your skills and experience. This allowance is non-pensionable and may change on an annual basis.

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 (D&T) 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!

Job description

What’s the role?

The Technical Architect will play a crucial role in shaping and delivering our Agency’s technology vision, focusing on the strategic transition from on-premise to cloud services while ensuring business continuity.

This senior position will be responsible for designing and overseeing complex technical solutions that align with public sector requirements, security standards, and modernisation initiatives.

You will be responsible for designing, building, and maintaining robust Technical Architectures that protect the Agency’s systems from threats and vulnerabilities.

Your primary goal is to ensure that all IT services and solutions are secure by design and compliant with government security policies and standards.

This role requires a strategic thinker with deep technical knowledge, an understanding of emerging threats, and the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to embed security principles throughout the IT landscape.

You will maintain relationships with relevant suppliers, making sure services and products are delivered and aligned to industry best practice and regulatory and contractual requirements.

Key responsibilities:

• Technical Architecture Design

• Support the development and maintenance of the technical architecture roadmap, with particular emphasis on cloud migration strategies and hybrid infrastructure to support wider Agency objectives

• Support the development and maintenance of the Technical Architecture Reference Model to ensure it aligns with the IT strategy, government policies, and best practices

• Provide technical governance and oversight across IT projects, ensuring solutions meet security, scalability, and compliance requirements specific to UK public sector standards (including GDS standards and Technology Code of Practice).

• Evaluate and recommend emerging technologies, cloud services, and architectural patterns that could benefit the Agency, maintaining awareness of technology trends and best practices

• Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Act as the Senior Technical Architect for project teams, providing expert guidance on requirements, design considerations, and risk management.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure technical architecture is integrated into all aspects of the Agency’s digital transformation initiatives.

• Influence and educate technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels, and across organisations, using architecture communication techniques

• Mediate between people in difficult architectural discussions

• Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Proactively identify opportunities to improve the Technical Architecture and reduce risk through innovation, new technologies, and process improvements.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in Technical Architecture, bringing forward recommendations for improvement.

Person specification

Our successful candidate will have:

• Good IT experience in architectural roles

• Familiarity with UK public sector regulations, standards, and frameworks, such as the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the Technology Code of Practice (TCoP)

• Experience with both on-premise and cloud technologies

• Experience in leading cloud migration initiatives and managing hybrid environments

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills

• Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks and methodologies

• Track record of delivering complex technical solutions, within a public sector environment is desirable but not essential

• Proven experience designing and implementing secure cloud architectures and understanding of cloud security principles across major cloud platforms.

• Experience of Healthcare/Medicines/Devices industries, Regulatory bodies desirable but not essential

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

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,028, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £16,521 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 the Civil Service Motoring Association (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.

• Application, which will include a CV, which should demonstrate how you meet the Experience and Technical Success Profile criteria. Please submit your application to Michael Page by visiting this website.

• 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.

Closing date: 10am 17th February 2026

Shortlisting date: from 23rd February 2026

Interview date: from 9th March 2026

Candidates will be contacted within a week of the sift and the interviews completed to inform them of the outcome.

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.

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 : The Resourcing Team
• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.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